{"id":1147,"date":"2013-09-10T18:30:30","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T00:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jaygoodman.com\/?p=1147"},"modified":"2021-12-21T13:51:38","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T20:51:38","slug":"parental-alienation-in-child-custody-disputes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jaygoodman.com\/?p=1147","title":{"rendered":"Parental Alienation in Child Custody Disputes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Parental<\/a>While the adversarial process is sometimes a necessary component of child custody disputes in divorce and paternity actions, children generally benefit from the ability of parents to reach amicable co-parenting agreements. \u00a0When parents cannot cooperate in custody cases, this can have a negative impact on minor children. \u00a0If either parent openly disparages the other parent or attempts to create negative feelings toward the other parent, the child may experience a psychological condition referred to by mental health professionals as \u201cparental alienation syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because attempts by one parent to alienate minor children can have such a detrimental impact on kids and the parent-child relationship, family law judges typically consider such conduct when fashioning timeshare and custody arrangements. \u00a0We have provided some key information for parents about parental alienation syndrome that was discussed in a recent article in Psychology Today<\/span>.<\/a><\/p>\n

Parental alienation syndrome is caused by parents who elect not to shield their children from disputes over parental issues and essentially force kids to take sides. \u00a0Sometimes parental alienation can be so extreme that a custodial parent manipulates the child into disliking the other parent or into refusing to visit and spend time with the other parent. \u00a0As Edward Kruk, Ph.D. , <\/a>explains, \u201cParental alienation involves the \u2018programming\u2019 of a child by one parent to denigrate the \u2018targeted\u2019 parent, in an effort to undermine and interfere with the child\u2019s relationship with that parent, and is often a sign of a parent\u2019s inability to separate from the couple conflict and focus on the need of the child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although parental alienation can involve many forms of conduct, it is far more common in custody disputes than many parents assume. \u00a0One study found that approximately 11-15 percent of divorces involving children include a judicial finding of parental alienation by one of the parents. \u00a0The authors of the study suggest that this dramatically understates the prevalence of conduct amounting to parental alienation because judges may not make a formal finding on the record of this type of inappropriate conduct, and sometimes the conduct is never exposed. \u00a0Common forms of conduct by an offending parent that can damage the child\u2019s relationship with the other parent include:<\/p>\n