The reunification experience: How can this inform practice?

Aim: the aim of this study was to investigate alienated parents’ and children’s experience of the reunification process following alienation. Specifically it aimed to explore their motivation for reunification, their description of what the reunification was like, their views as to what may have helped or hindered the reunification process and the impact that it has had on their lives.

Design: A qualitative design using semi-structured interviews was employed.

Method: Participants were adult children who had reunified with a targeted parent since turning 18 following parental alienation in childhood, as well as parents who had reunified with their adult children. Participants attended a semi-structured interview that explored the participants’ experience of parental alienation, their current parent-child relationship, the catalyst for reunification, what helped and hindered the reunification process and how reunification has impacted their lives.

Results: Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith & Osborn, 2008) and common themes were identified using the NVivo-10 program (QSR International, 2014).

Conclusion: The results provide insight into how mental health and legal professionals can better support individuals experiencing parental alienation. The results also provide information that can be incorporated into intervention programs.