What is parental alienation?

Parental alienation is increasingly present in our society. It has been studied for years, and there is no unanimous understanding of the concept.

It is commonly defined as a form of abuse or a “disruption of attachment” or “childhood disorder”, and is frequently regarded by the courts as a form of emotional abuse and psychological maltreatment of the child. It is important to distinguish this type of behaviour, as not all situations amount to parental alienation.

In general terms, it occurs when one parent deliberately interferes with the relationship between the child and the other parent, constituting a social practice of emotional distancing of the child from one of the parents, through intentional, unjustified and reprehensible conduct by the other, particularly when driven by selfish interests rather than by the child’s “best interests”.

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