A Longitudinal Analysis of Parental Alienation in Canadian Court Cases: Behavioral Patterns and Family Dynamics
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): McKenzie Burridge
Presenter(s): McKenzie Burridge
Mentors(s): Jennifer Harman
Parental alienation (PA) is an outcome of a coercively controlling family dynamic when one abusive parent engages in behaviors (parental alienating behaviors, PABs) intended to damage the relationship between the other parent and their child. These PABs include emotional abuse, coercion, and manipulation. While PA has been examined in various contexts, this project is the first longitudinal study to use archival data from Canadian court cases to explore the evolution of PA behaviors and mental health/legal interventions and their impact on child-parent relationships. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study is to examine PABs used by parents and other family members over time to examine their impact on children, and whether particular legal and mental health interventions are efficacious in remedying the problem. Coders who are blind to the study’s hypotheses are extracting variables of interest from trial level court decisions involving families who have had at least three or more decisions made. This data will be analyzed to identify patterns of coercion and control, intervention efficacy, and overall impact on family relationships. This research fills a gap by providing the first longitudinal evidence of PA behaviors in legal settings. The findings are expected to inform legal, psychological, and therapeutic interventions, offering insights into the progression of alienating behaviors and their impact on family well-being.