Characteristics and experiences of targeted parents of parental alienation from their own perspective: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Objective: The aims of this systematic literature review were to identify and synthesise all relevant information about targeted parents' characteristics and experiences from their own perspective. Method: The academic databases Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, EMBASE-ELSEVIER, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and conference abstracts were systematically searched from their inception until May 2018. The systematic review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol (PRISMA-P) and was registered in PROS-PERO (ID = CRD42017062533). Results: Nine relevant articles were included after conducting inclusion criteria and quality assessment. Data were collated and analysed using guidance on the conduct of narrative synthesis in systematic reviews. Conclusion: Targeted parents report consistent stories about the nature of the alienation tactics used by alienating parents across the included studies. Targeted parents expressed dissatisfaction with legal and mental health system services available to them. Further, despite feeling despair, frustration, and isolation, targeted parents appear to be resilient and seek out positive coping strategies. This review showed that research on targeted parents from their own perspective is sparse, and more studies are needed. K E Y W O R D Salienated parent, family conflict, family separation, parental alienation, systematic literature review, targeted parent

Characteristics of Intimate Partnership Breakups in Parents with Symptoms of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

“…The influence of a manipulative parent who encourages the child to turn against the other parent without a valid reason can result in parental alienation that manifests as the child's refusal of the other (targeted) parent and siding with the manipulative parent (50,51). Symptoms that indicate parental alienation are constant disparaging of the other (targeted) parent, rationalization for the rejection of the other (targeted) parent, insistence on part of the child that the rejection stems from their own thoughts (the so-called independent thinker phenomenon), lack of guilt for behavior towards the targeted parent, presence of false or distorted descriptions of events that include the targeted parent (so-called borrowed scenarios), and attempts to influence the opinions of others on the targeted parent (51,52).…”

“…fenomen neovisnog mislioca), nedostatak osjećaja krivnje zbog postupanja prema ciljanom roditelju, postojanje lažnih ili iskrivljenih opisa događaja koji uključuju ciljanog roditelja (tzv. posuđeni scenarij) i pokušaji utjecanja na stavove drugih o ciljanom roditelju (51,52).…”

What Does it Mean to be a Targeted Parent? Parents’ Experiences in the Context of Parental Alienation

“…Nevertheless, despite feelings of despair, frustration and isolation, targeted parents appear to be resilient and seek out coping strategies (Maturana et al 2018). Coping strategies refer to how people respond to stressful events in order to minimize the perceived threat and reduce stress.…”

“…When a situation of parental alienation occurs, it is common for targeted parents to seek the help of mental health and legal professionals (Baker 2010). A recent systematic review found that targeted parents were dissatisfied with these types of formal support (Maturana et al 2018). Individuals who self-identified as targeted parents reported dissatisfaction with most of their attorneys and identified suffering with anxiety and depression during the legal proceedings involving a legal episode regarding visitation, access to the child, custody decision or parenting time, and also high levels of dissatisfaction with the final decision (Baker 2010).…”

“…While parental alienation has been the object of much discussion in the literature, there is still controversy regarding its definition and whether it ought to be conceptualized as a syndrome (Warshak 2001). However, it is consensual that alienation is a real problem (e.g., Meier 2013) and that this area of family relationships warrants more empirical research (Maturana et al 2018). According to Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological model of human development, there is a mutual influence between individuals and the contexts in which they are embedded.…”