Signs of Alienation In Children
The symptoms of parental alienation describe a parent’s behavior towards the child. It says nothing about how the parent’s behavior impacts the child’s behavior or attitudes towards the targeted parent.
If parental alienation is successful and influences the child against the targeted parent, then the observer will see symptoms of parental alienation syndrome For example, if a child doesn’t appear to have a problem with visits, one can safely conclude that parental alienation syndrome is not severe or present.
That is not to say that parental alienation is not occurring, and in time the child may display severe symptoms of parental alienation syndrome. Often, children appear healthy until asked about the targeted parent.
Some of the behaviors an observer can expect to see in the parental alienation syndrome child include:
• A relentless hatred for the targeted parent;
• Parroting the alienating parent;
• Refusing to visit or spend any time with the targeted parent;
• Having many beliefs enmeshed with those of the alienating parent;
• Holding delusional or irrational beliefs;
• Not being intimidated by the court’s authority;
• Reasons for not wanting to have a relationship with the targeted parent based only on what the alienating parent tells the child;
• Difficulty distinguishing between personal memories and what he or she is told;
• No ambivalence in a child’s feelings; feeling only hatred without the ability to see any good in the targeted parent;
• No capacity to feel guilty about behavior towards the targeted parent or to forgive any past indiscretions;
• Sharing the alienating parent’s cause to destroy the relationship;
• Hatred extending to the targeted parent’s extended family without any guilt or remorse.
Children displaying these tendencies may well by the subjects of parental alienation by one parent.
If this is the case, attorneys and judges need to know how to help stop it, as well as deter and prevent further alienation.
Abstract from: PARENTAL ALIENATION: NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN by DOUGLAS DARNALL from NORTH DAKOTA LAW REVIEW, Volume 75, 1999, p 323-364
The symptoms of parental alienation describe a parent’s behavior towards the child. It says nothing about how the parent’s behavior impacts the child’s behavior or attitudes towards the targeted parent.
If parental alienation is successful and influences the child against the targeted parent, then the observer will see symptoms of parental alienation syndrome For example, if a child doesn’t appear to have a problem with visits, one can safely conclude that parental alienation syndrome is not severe or present.
That is not to say that parental alienation is not occurring, and in time the child may display severe symptoms of parental alienation syndrome. Often, children appear healthy until asked about the targeted parent.
Some of the behaviors an observer can expect to see in the parental alienation syndrome child include:
• A relentless hatred for the targeted parent;
• Parroting the alienating parent;
• Refusing to visit or spend any time with the targeted parent;
• Having many beliefs enmeshed with those of the alienating parent;
• Holding delusional or irrational beliefs;
• Not being intimidated by the court’s authority;
• Reasons for not wanting to have a relationship with the targeted parent based only on what the alienating parent tells the child;
• Difficulty distinguishing between personal memories and what he or she is told;
• No ambivalence in a child’s feelings; feeling only hatred without the ability to see any good in the targeted parent;
• No capacity to feel guilty about behavior towards the targeted parent or to forgive any past indiscretions;
• Sharing the alienating parent’s cause to destroy the relationship;
• Hatred extending to the targeted parent’s extended family without any guilt or remorse.
Children displaying these tendencies may well by the subjects of parental alienation by one parent.
If this is the case, attorneys and judges need to know how to help stop it, as well as deter and prevent further alienation.
Abstract from: PARENTAL ALIENATION: NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN by DOUGLAS DARNALL from NORTH DAKOTA LAW REVIEW, Volume 75, 1999, p 323-364