2024 Maryland Mediators Convention

This session will define parental alienation, describe the eight indicators of alienated children and the five categories of behaviors of alienating parents. The presenter will introduce the psychology of the attachment dysfunction in the parent/child relationship that is the intended result of parental alienation. The session will discuss some challenges of addressing parental alienation through family court and therapy and suggest implications for family mediation as parties experiencing parental alienation may show signs of trauma and mental health issues.

The data-based presentation contains citations from authors, researchers, and mental health practitioners working in the field of parental alienation as well as quotations from adults who experienced parental alienation as children.