What are parental alienating behaviours?
Parental alienating behaviours is a collective term for a number of different, consistently negative behaviours, views and attitudes expressed by one parent, carer or guardian. Some examples include:
- Using negative narratives about the other parent in front of the child
- Undermining the alienated parent by making them seem incompetent, useless or unreliable
- Sharing of false or unnecessary information with your child about the other parent
- Gaslighting by making it seem as though the alienated parent is responsible for the issues
These behaviours could be seen as an attempt to damage or weaken the relationship between the child and the opposing parent. Parental alienating behaviours can be highly stressful and anxious for everyone involved, especially the children.