The Life Paths and Lived Experiences of Adults Who Have Experienced Parental Alienation: A Retrospective Study

Parental alienation: Targeted parent perspective

“…The current findings are in contrast to previous descriptions of targeted parents as being rigid, controlling, distant, unskilled, passive, and emotionally detached (Baker & Andre, 2008;Drodz & Olesen, 2004;Friedlander & Walters, 2010;Godbout & Parent, 2012;Gottlieb, 2012;Johnston, 2003;Kelly & Johnston, 2001;Rand, 1997aRand, , 1997b. For example, previous literature has described targeted parents as ambivalent about wanting a relationship with their child (Baker & Andre, 2008;Friedlander & Walters, 2010).…”

“…Additionally, information about the targeted parent experience largely has relied on American samples. No study to date has employed an international sample (Baker, 2006(Baker, , 2010aFriedlander & Walters, 2010;Godbout & Parent, 2012;Johnston, 2003;Kelly & Johnston, 2001;Vassiliou & Cartwright, 2001). Throughout this literature, targeted parents have been described as rigid and unskilled in their parenting style, emotionally detached and having difficulty managing their emotions.…”

“…Targeted children have been observed to exhibit psychosocial disturbances due to exposure to parental alienation. These disturbances include disrupted social-emotional development, lack of trust in relationships, depression, anxiety, difficulties controlling their impulses, social isolation, and low self-sufficiency (Baker, 2005b(Baker, , 2010bBen-Ami & Baker, 2012;Friedlander & Walters, 2010;Godbout & Parent, 2012;Johnston, Walters, & Olesen, 2005;Kopetski, 1998b).…”

Models of Psychopathology

“…Such alienation occurs in situations of domestic violence and abandonment (Burrill, 2006 ) and often in situations of divorce (Godbout & Parent, 2012 ;Hands & Warshak, 2011 ;. In other words, a parent may have been responsible for alienating the child against himself or herself.…”

“…3 , parentifi cation may occur when the alienating parent's abuse is at its worst (see Godbout & Parent, 2012 ). In this parentifi cation scenario, the roles are reversed: The child becomes the alienator's caretaker, and the alienated parent becomes dependent upon the victimized child.…”