Why Doesn't Parental Alienation Occur More Frequently? The Significance of Role Discrimination

Abstract

Approximately two thirds of divorced families develop co-parenting relationships that are more or less effective. Of the approximately one third of divorces that do not evolve into effective co-parenting, a subset deteriorates into parental alienation. Classical Balance theory predicts parental alienation as a normative outcome in divorcing and divorced families. Discriminating between their roles as spouses and parents allows separated and divorced couples to avoid alienation outcomes. Elevated anxiety, however, may interfere with these discriminative responses, and lead parents into stereotyping each other. This article proposes a two-dimensional model of parental estrangement-alienation addressing variations in anxiety and stereotyping. Interventions for reducing the effects of estrangement and alienation are also identifed and discussed.