New Zealand psychologists are invited to this essential talk defining **parental alienation** and **custodial interference** as significant forms of **family violence** and **psychological abuse**. This CPD content establishes a strong foundation for understanding the global prevalence and local implications of parental alienation, enabling accurate identification and intervention. Explore how to distinguish alienation from legitimate estrangement, recognize **coercive control** in **domestic violence by proxy**, and analyse children's varied responses.
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: