Date

5-1-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Rachel Piferi

Keywords

parental alienation, licensed professionals, family court, abuse, experience, divorce, training, education, reform

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Parental alienation (PA) frequently emerges in high-conflict child custody disputes and is commonly understood as one parent encouraging a child to unjustifiably reject the other parent. The behaviors associated with PA encompass a complex form of family violence, incorporating elements of both intimate partner violence and child psychological abuse. As a polarizing and multifaceted social issue, PA necessitates further dialogue and interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals. This qualitative research study explored licensed professionals’ perceptions and lived experiences of PA in the family court system. The research aimed to investigate the meaning professionals attributed to PA across individual, family, and institutional levels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 licensed professionals involved in PA cases, generating in-depth responses that were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis (TA). The study identified fifteen overarching themes, and 68 codes. Most notably, the study found that professionals highlight significant challenges in the court system, including a lack of education and training on parental alienation, polarized views, and uncertainty about effective intervention. Additionally, professionals emphasize the need for court reform, questioning whether meaningful change is possible. The study enhances theoretical and practical understandings of parental alienation across multiple levels, highlights the need for improved education and training for professionals, emphasizes stakeholder collaboration in family court, and underscores the imperative for further research to drive systemic reform and address social injustice.

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