Family Law

Understanding Parental Alienation: Theoretical Insights and Practical Strategies

By Benjamin Hine
New Arrival Routledge May 2026

Specifications

ISBN-13
9781041050049
Publisher
Routledge
Publication
May 2026
Format
Paperback
Jurisdiction
U.K. ? Countri(es) for reference only

Details

Understanding Parental Alienation offers a clear, accessible starting point for anyone trying to make sense of parental alienation (PA): what it is, how it develops, and why it causes such profound harm. Opening with a grounded, user-friendly explanation of the phenomenon, the book demystifies PA without minimising its seriousness, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of its emotional, psychological, and legal dimensions.

From there, the book moves into a comprehensive examination of why parental alienation happens. Drawing on attachment theory to family-violence frameworks, it brings together leading theoretical insights to illuminate the mechanisms that drive bond-breaking between parents and children. This book expands beyond previous work to examine the wider ecosystem around PA, including the role of new partners, extended family members, complex sibling dynamics, and the systems that enable the abuse to take place.

The book then shifts to impact: analysing the short- and long-term consequences for every actor involved – children, targeted parents, alienating parents, siblings, and professionals encountering PA in practice. Finally, the book offers extensive practical guidance. It equips parents, practitioners, and policymakers with concrete, research-rooted strategies for recognising alienating behaviours and responding effectively. Alongside general principles for prevention and intervention, it includes tailored advice not only for affected parents but also for children and young people living through these dynamics.

Accessible yet academically robust, Understanding Parental Alienation is a multi-purpose guide for mental health professionals, legal practitioners, family-court personnel, and families navigating post-separation conflict. It delivers the foundational knowledge and practical tools needed to understand this complex issue and to begin changing it.

Table of Contents

Preface – My Journey
Introduction

Section 1: What is Parental Alienation?
Defining Parental Alienation (PA) and Parental Alienation Behaviours (PABs)
The Scientific Status of Parental Alienation
Understanding Other Resist-Refuse Dynamics
Measuring Parental Alienation
Prevalence

Section 2: Why Does It Happen?
Understanding Alienating Parents
Theories Explaining Parental Alienation
Culture, Context, and the Conditions That Sustain Parental Alienation
Parental Alienation as Violence

Section 3: What is the Impact?
Impact on Children
Impact on Targeted Parents
Impact on the Wider Family

Section 4: What Can We Do About It?
Tackling Parental Alienation Early
Advice on Early Intervention
Parental Alienation in the Courts
Advice on Legal Processes
Intervention and Treatment
Advice on Treatment
The Role of Broader Society

Section 5: What Can You Do About It?
General Advice for Targeted Parents
General Advice for Other Family Members, New Partners and Friends
Advice for Children
Written for Them
Conclusion

Appendices
Index
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