What is Parental Alienation?

Question: What is Parental Alienation?

Answer: Most children in a family identify with and feel affection toward both parents. Even after a divorce, most children will maintain some connection with both parents. However, at times, a child may have only a relationship with one parent to the exclusion of the other. This is called parental alienation. An alienated child is one who tries to avoid any contact with one parent, and only expressed positive feelings toward the other parent

This is not a naturally occurring process, even in cases where the child seems to lean more toward one parent. It is generally the result of a coordinated effort by one parent against the other. Professionals call the parent who acts to create such a singular relationship between the child and himself the "alienating parent". The parent who is excluded from the singular relationship is "the target parent".