New Research on the Science of Parental Alienation
Dr. Richard Warshak recently posted a short piece on the Institute for Family Studies web site. This one to two-minute read highlights the new research on P.A. Dr. Warshak educates us with a concise summary of what’s happening these days in the P.A. research world. Take a moment and have a look; note however that the real gems on the science of parental alienation are in the links!
Parents have such strong influence, they can convince their children to remember events that never actually happened. Science of parental alienation has been clear on this for decades. (Click here for a systematic review.)
The most extreme examples are when children are coached to accuse a parent of physical or sexual abuse that never occurred. (See Susan Becker’s law review article for examples.)
Have a look at this advance online preview: Developmental psychology and the scientific status of parental alienation.
Harman, J. J., Warshak, R. A., Lorandos, D., & Florian, M. J. (2022).
The results confirmed that the current state of PA scholarship meets three criteria of a maturing field of scientific inquiry:
1. an expanding literature,
2. a shift toward quantitative studies,
3. a growing body of research that tests theory-generated hypotheses.
Nearly 40% of the PA literature has been published since 2016, establishing that PA research has moved beyond an early stage of scientific development and has produced a scientifically trustworthy knowledge base.
Far from being a misogynist’s weapon, as some activists claim, parental alienation is an equal opportunity offense.
