Understanding Targeted Parents’ Experience of Parental Alienation: A Qualitative Description from Their Own Perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify, synthetize and describe targeted parents’ experiences of being alienated from their child/ren. Fifty-four self-referred targeted parents were interviewed. Two relevant themes emerged in regard to their experiences: targeted parents experiencing family violence before the alienation and what they experienced during the alienation. Mental health and legal practitioners need to be aware that targeted parents have suffered the significant loss of their child/ren. Importantly, many parents experienced family violence before family separation and continue to experience coercion and control post family separation.

Keywords:

• Targeted parent
• alienated parent
• parental alienation
• divorce conflict
• rejected parent
• qualitative description
• family violence

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the Eeny Meeny Miney Mo Foundation for their support of this research. We are also grateful to all the targeted parents who participated voluntarily in this study and who were willing to contribute generously to research into parental alienation.

Disclosure statement

There was no funding or associated financial interests linked to this study. There are no other conflicts of interest.