This article examines the current state of research on parental alienation, which reveals that al... more This article examines the current state of research on parental alienation, which reveals that alienation is far more common and debilitating for children and parents than was previously believed. In extreme cases, one can make the argument that parental alienation is a serious form of emotional child abuse. Careful scrutiny of key elements of parental alienation in the research literature consistently identifies two core elements of child abuse: parental alienation as a significant form of harm to children that is attributable to human action. As a form of individual child abuse, parental alienation calls for a child protection response. As a form of collective abuse, parental alienation warrants fundamental reform of the family law system in the direction of shared parenting as the foundation of family law. There is an emerging scientific consensus on prevalence, effects, and professional recognition of parental alienation as a form of child abuse. In response, the authors discuss...
This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the sit... more This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the situations and experiences of mothers and fathers who become the non-resident parent post-separation/divorce. It also documents the results of a new qualitative study of similarities and differences between divorced non-custodial mothers and fathers in Canada in their experience of parenthood after divorce; focusing on (a) patterns of attachment, loss and grief related to involuntary child absence, (b) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on their children’s needs in the divorce transition, and their responsibilities in relation to those needs, and (c) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on the responsibilities of social institutions to support divorced parents. I explore mothers’ and fathers’ views of the salient issues regarding post-divorce parenting, with a focus on the process and outcome of child custody determination. The principal question explored is, “Are the experiences of nonreside...
ABSTRACT This qualitative study utilizing narrative analysis and grounded theory examines the his... more ABSTRACT This qualitative study utilizing narrative analysis and grounded theory examines the history and experiences of 14 Canadian women who have lost custody of their children within a legal divorce process. Each woman's storied experience focused on themes of attachment and loss associated with involuntary child absence, legal abuse within the adversarial system, and judgment based on nonconformity to a motherhood ideal; physical violence and emotional abuse in the family system; access denial and parental alienation; stigma and lack of support services; and serious financial losses. Women's perceptions of their children's needs in the divorce process, mothers' responsibilities in relation to those needs, and the responsibility of social institutions to support mothers as parents were also examined. The study sought mothers' views about needed changes to the legal framework of child custody determination and other priorities. Implications for socio-legal policy are discussed, including a consideration of a rebuttable legal shared parental responsibility presumption as facilitating the most salutary postdivorce outcomes for women and children, as are guidelines for direct service provision.
... custody of their chiJdren, and to examine some of the implications for mental health practiti... more ... custody of their chiJdren, and to examine some of the implications for mental health practitioners uis ... The research was funded hy the National ll'elfare Grants Directorate, Ministry of Health and Welfare ... in a radically different way than do other groups of divorced men and women. ...
This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the sit... more This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the situations and experiences of mothers and fathers who become the nonresident parent post-separation/divorce. It also documents the results of a new qualitative study of similarities and differences between divorced non-custodial mothers and fathers in Canada in their experience of parenthood after divorce; focusing on (a) patterns of attachment, loss and grief related to involuntary child absence, (b) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on their children’s needs in the divorce transition, and their responsibilities in relation to those needs, and (c) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on the responsibilities of social institutions to support divorced parents. I explore mothers’ and fathers’ views of the salient issues regarding post-divorce parenting, with a focus on the process and outcome of child custody determination. The principal question explored is, “Are the experiences of nonresiden...
The gender paradigm of intimate partner violence (IPV) research and theory has strongly influence... more The gender paradigm of intimate partner violence (IPV) research and theory has strongly influenced scholarly work on parental alienation. This paradigm has created a false “divide” between IPV and parental alienation scholars and professionals who work in these areas and has created unproductive and unnecessary conflict. This chapter highlights and draws parallels between research on IPV and parental alienating behaviors (PABs) to illustrate that they describe the same phenomenon. We also draw parallels in the research on how IPV and PABs affect the targets of these behaviors, their similarities in the patterns of abuse and motives of the perpetrator, and explore how children are affected. Finally, we detail how the gender paradigm has created controversies and the suppression of parental alienation and offers some solutions and suggestions on how this false divide can be bridged.
Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is a refe... more Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is a refereed journal concerned with publishing scholarly and relevant articles on continuing education, professional development, and training in the field of social welfare. The aims of the journal are to advance the science of professional development and continuing social work education, to foster understanding among educators, practitioners, and researchers, and to promote discussion that represents a broad spectrum of interests in the field. The opinions expressed in this journal are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the policy positions of The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work or its Center for Social Work Research. Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is published three times a year (Spring, Summer, and Winter) by the Center for Social Work Research at 1 University Station, D3500 Austin, T...
... that he wanted the divorce, in contrast to the overwhelming num-ber of men who had ... tive e... more ... that he wanted the divorce, in contrast to the overwhelming num-ber of men who had ... tive effects of the loss or absence of their children and their fathering role; reactions of ... escalation of conflict during divorce, the role of social workers and other mental health professionals has ...
This article examines the current state of research on parental alienation, which reveals that al... more This article examines the current state of research on parental alienation, which reveals that alienation is far more common and debilitating for children and parents than was previously believed. In extreme cases, one can make the argument that parental alienation is a serious form of emotional child abuse. Careful scrutiny of key elements of parental alienation in the research literature consistently identifies two core elements of child abuse: parental alienation as a significant form of harm to children that is attributable to human action. As a form of individual child abuse, parental alienation calls for a child protection response. As a form of collective abuse, parental alienation warrants fundamental reform of the family law system in the direction of shared parenting as the foundation of family law. There is an emerging scientific consensus on prevalence, effects, and professional recognition of parental alienation as a form of child abuse. In response, the authors discuss...
This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the sit... more This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the situations and experiences of mothers and fathers who become the non-resident parent post-separation/divorce. It also documents the results of a new qualitative study of similarities and differences between divorced non-custodial mothers and fathers in Canada in their experience of parenthood after divorce; focusing on (a) patterns of attachment, loss and grief related to involuntary child absence, (b) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on their children’s needs in the divorce transition, and their responsibilities in relation to those needs, and (c) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on the responsibilities of social institutions to support divorced parents. I explore mothers’ and fathers’ views of the salient issues regarding post-divorce parenting, with a focus on the process and outcome of child custody determination. The principal question explored is, “Are the experiences of nonreside...
ABSTRACT This qualitative study utilizing narrative analysis and grounded theory examines the his... more ABSTRACT This qualitative study utilizing narrative analysis and grounded theory examines the history and experiences of 14 Canadian women who have lost custody of their children within a legal divorce process. Each woman's storied experience focused on themes of attachment and loss associated with involuntary child absence, legal abuse within the adversarial system, and judgment based on nonconformity to a motherhood ideal; physical violence and emotional abuse in the family system; access denial and parental alienation; stigma and lack of support services; and serious financial losses. Women's perceptions of their children's needs in the divorce process, mothers' responsibilities in relation to those needs, and the responsibility of social institutions to support mothers as parents were also examined. The study sought mothers' views about needed changes to the legal framework of child custody determination and other priorities. Implications for socio-legal policy are discussed, including a consideration of a rebuttable legal shared parental responsibility presumption as facilitating the most salutary postdivorce outcomes for women and children, as are guidelines for direct service provision.
... custody of their chiJdren, and to examine some of the implications for mental health practiti... more ... custody of their chiJdren, and to examine some of the implications for mental health practitioners uis ... The research was funded hy the National ll'elfare Grants Directorate, Ministry of Health and Welfare ... in a radically different way than do other groups of divorced men and women. ...
This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the sit... more This paper reviews the literature to provide an overview of what is currently known about the situations and experiences of mothers and fathers who become the nonresident parent post-separation/divorce. It also documents the results of a new qualitative study of similarities and differences between divorced non-custodial mothers and fathers in Canada in their experience of parenthood after divorce; focusing on (a) patterns of attachment, loss and grief related to involuntary child absence, (b) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on their children’s needs in the divorce transition, and their responsibilities in relation to those needs, and (c) mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives on the responsibilities of social institutions to support divorced parents. I explore mothers’ and fathers’ views of the salient issues regarding post-divorce parenting, with a focus on the process and outcome of child custody determination. The principal question explored is, “Are the experiences of nonresiden...
The gender paradigm of intimate partner violence (IPV) research and theory has strongly influence... more The gender paradigm of intimate partner violence (IPV) research and theory has strongly influenced scholarly work on parental alienation. This paradigm has created a false “divide” between IPV and parental alienation scholars and professionals who work in these areas and has created unproductive and unnecessary conflict. This chapter highlights and draws parallels between research on IPV and parental alienating behaviors (PABs) to illustrate that they describe the same phenomenon. We also draw parallels in the research on how IPV and PABs affect the targets of these behaviors, their similarities in the patterns of abuse and motives of the perpetrator, and explore how children are affected. Finally, we detail how the gender paradigm has created controversies and the suppression of parental alienation and offers some solutions and suggestions on how this false divide can be bridged.
Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is a refe... more Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is a refereed journal concerned with publishing scholarly and relevant articles on continuing education, professional development, and training in the field of social welfare. The aims of the journal are to advance the science of professional development and continuing social work education, to foster understanding among educators, practitioners, and researchers, and to promote discussion that represents a broad spectrum of interests in the field. The opinions expressed in this journal are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the policy positions of The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work or its Center for Social Work Research. Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education is published three times a year (Spring, Summer, and Winter) by the Center for Social Work Research at 1 University Station, D3500 Austin, T...
... that he wanted the divorce, in contrast to the overwhelming num-ber of men who had ... tive e... more ... that he wanted the divorce, in contrast to the overwhelming num-ber of men who had ... tive effects of the loss or absence of their children and their fathering role; reactions of ... escalation of conflict during divorce, the role of social workers and other mental health professionals has ...
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Papers by Edward Kruk