There are a lot of factors that contribute to parental alienation. A false belief that the other parent poses a threat to the child, a disdain for the other parent and mental health issues can all play a role. However, those aren’t the only issues that can lead to damaging parental alienation.
How personality disorders fit into the picture
Researchers have found that personality disorders may also be a cause of parental alienation. According to them, Cluster B personality disorders, which include conditions like borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder, can result in the affected parent being constantly negative and aggressive toward the other parent.
Additionally, since those who present with these personality disorders can be hostile, exploitative, disdainful and arrogant, a child in their care may agree with them to try to ease those behaviors. In other words, a child may agree with falsehoods presented against the alienated parent simply to appease the alienating parenting order to avoid further conflict. In essence, the child becomes part of the alienation as a form of self-preservation.
What does this mean for you?
If you suspect that your child’s other parent suffers from a personality disorder, you need to take that into account when you consider how best to handle the matter before you. Often in parental alienation cases, the best course of action is to seek a custody modification. If you can demonstrate that the other parent’s personality disorder is negatively impacting your child and their relationship with you, you might succeed in showing that your proposed modification is in the child’s best interests. This may require you to seek a court-ordered psychological evaluation for the other parent.
Having an attorney help you navigate your case
Parental alienation cases are highly complicated. That’s why, as you navigate yours, you may want an experienced legal professional by your side. This attorney may be able to help you make sense of the psychology involved in your case so that you can build the strongest case possible.
If you’d like to learn more about what firms like ours can do to help in these situations, please continue to read our blog and our website.