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Studies have been coming out in recent years identifying the issue of parental alienation. While some experts have said this is a syndrome with defined characteristics, they do warn that it’s a developing field and so there is not comprehensive literature on the subject. Still, enough has been done to get a basic idea of how this works.
Essentially, parental alienation is when a child and one parent grow closer together, forming a tight bond. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing on its own, the issue is that the other parent can be completely cut out of the relationship. He or she loses the relationship with the spouse due to the divorce, but then the relationship with the child is stripped away, as well.
Experts note that children willfully say they want this to happen in many cases. A child may only speak in a positive manner about one parent, as if he or she can do no wrong, while only coming up with negative comments about the other parent.
In this sense, it’s not just a case where one parent keeps the child away from the other, but where the child contributes to the alienation.
However, the impact on the child can be negative, as well. Studies have shown that cutting one parent out and breaking away from this normal relationship can lead to issues with both distortion and maladjustment for that child. This is why it’s often said that the ideal child custody plan is one that involves both parents.
Along with understanding the emotional and psychological impact of custody cases, be sure you know your legal rights in Arizona.
Source: Fact, “Parental Alienation And Enmeshment Issues In Child Custody Cases,” Daniel J. Rybicki, accessed Feb. 26, 2016
