This foundational talk for South African psychologists defines **parental alienation** and **custodial interference**, crucial aspects of **family violence** and **psychological abuse**. Learn to distinguish true alienation from legitimate estrangement and understand its global impact, recognizing it as a significant issue requiring expert intervention within the South African mental health landscape. Explore the dynamics of **coercive control** in **domestic violence by proxy** and how children's responses differ between abuse and alienation.
Part 1 – Defining the Problem of Parental Alienation and Childhood Psychological Abuse
This talk is the first installment of a comprehensive ten-part multidisciplinary training series developed by the Parental Alienation Accreditation Alliance (PAAA). The full curriculum spans from foundational definitions through diagnosis, treatment, legal considerations, ethics, and legislative advocacy.
Part 1 serves as the essential foundation for all subsequent modules. It introduces the clinical, legal, and research landscape of parental alienation, ensuring that participants from diverse professional backgrounds - including mental health, law, social work, education, and family advocacy - share a common language and understanding before proceeding to more advanced topics.
Parental alienation is defined as a mental condition in which a child - typically in the context of a high-conflict separation or divorce - becomes unjustifiably aligned with one parent (the preferred parent) and rejects the other parent (the alienated parent) without legitimate justification. The course emphasises that this pattern is driven by psychological influence, manipulation, or interference by the favoured parent, extended family members, or professionals involved in the case.
Learning Objectives: