Illinois Divorce Lawyer: How do you know it is parental alienation?

How do you know it is parental alienation—and not justified rejection and estrangement?

In a case where a child rejects contact with a parent, a psychological evaluator or skilled GAL can determine if the rejection is unwarranted, which is called parental alienation, by making a thorough investigation of the empirical facts over time. If the child has a legitimate reason to reject a parent, it is called estrangement. There are in my experience cases where both factors can exist: a targeted parent is being alienated and then acts in negative ways with the child that solidify the estrangement.

An evaluator can use the Five-Factor Model to identify and diagnose parental alienation. If the answer, after thorough and qualified investigation, to all five questions below is yes, it is most probably a case of moderate or severe parental alienation.

Does the child refuse contact?
Did the child before refusal of contact have a loving relationship with the now rejected parent?
Is there a lack of confirmed, reliable information about abuse or neglect from that parent?
Is there documentation over time that the other parent has used several of the 17 identified alienation strategies?
Does the child manifest the 8 characteristics for an alienated child?

(Lorandos, D., Bernet, W. (2020). Parental Alienation–Science and Law.)

Abused children don’t exhibit the eight characteristic behaviors that alienated children do.

Eight Symptoms of Parental Alienation

1. Campaign of Denigration

2. Weak, Frivolous, and Absurd Rationalizations

3. Lack of Ambivalence

4. Independent Thinker phenomenon

5. Reflexive Support of the Alienating Parent

6. Absence of Guilt

7. Borrowed Scenarios

8. Spread of Animosity to the Extended Family of the Alienated Parent –

(Baker, Amy. J. L., Schneiderman, M. (2015). Bonded to the Abuser.)

The other parent is seen as irrelevant, irresponsible or even dangerous, whereas the self is seen as the essential, responsible, and safe caretaker. These parents tend to selectively perceive and distort the child’s concerns regarding the other parent.

(Roseby, V., Johnston, J. R. (1998). Children of Armageddon: Common Developmental Threats in High-Conflict Divorcing Families. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 7(2):295–309.)