Parental alienation has been an unacknowledged and poorly understood form of family violence. Research on parental alienation and the behaviors that cause it has evolved out of decades of legal and clinical work documenting this phenomenon, leading to what could be considered a “greening,” or growth, of the field. Today, there is consensus among researchers as to what parental alienating behaviors are and how they affect children and the family system. We review the literature to detail what parental alienation is, how it is different from other parent–child problems such as estrangement and loyalty conflicts, and how it is perpetuated within and across different social systems. We conclude by highlighting research areas that need further investigation to develop and test effective solutions for ameliorating the devastating effects of parental alienation that, we posit, should be considered and understood not only as abusive to the child but also as a form of family violence directed toward both the child and the alienated parent.

Ben Burgess, M.A., obtained his degree in psychology from Western Michigan University and is now a practicing psychologist with the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Consultation. Since 2006, his primary focus has been on providing services to individuals and families experiencing high-conflict divorce and separation. In addition to individual and family counseling, Ben provides comprehensive evaluations, such as custody and parenting time evaluations and parenting capacity evaluations, that help individuals, families, and courts make informed decisions. Through a variety of tools, including psychological testing, he helps people better understand their emotional landscape and identify strategies for negotiating obstacles.