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Guidelines for best evidence based practice responses for parental alienation: a psychological and legal perspective

conference contribution
posted on 2023-05-24, 13:45 authored by Templer, KM, Mandy MatthewsonMandy Matthewson, Haines, J, Cox, G
Parental alienation occurs when a child is disproportionally influenced by a parent’s unwarranted views of the other parent, leading to unnecessary refusal or resistance of a relationship with the targeted parent (Garber, 2011). The child will align themselves with the preferred parent without justification, with their behaviour often driven by false beliefs (Bernet & Baker, 2013). The issue is both one of concern and relevance as it generally results in a loss of a once positive relationship or attachment, usually occurring in the context of divorce or conflict (Bernet & Baker, 2013). There is a current lack of literature regarding effective practice to aid psychologists and courts in terms of supporting the alienating parent, targeted parent and the involved child. Given this gap in the literature, this study aimed to develop a set of best practice guidelines with both a psychological and a legal perspective working with families affected by parental alienation. The study examined therapeutic skills and interventions required and helpful actions the court could take in addressing parental alienation. The methodology involved a systematic literature search adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. From the systematic review of the literature practice guidelines have been proposed for psychologists, family therapists and lawyers working with families affected by parental alienation.

History

Department/School

School of Psychological Sciences

Event title

49th APS Annual Conference: Psychology meeting society's challenges

Event Venue

Hobart, Tasmania

Date of Event (Start Date)

2014-09-30

Date of Event (End Date)

2014-10-03

Rights statement

Copyright 2015 Australian Psychological Society

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in psychology

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    University Of Tasmania

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