Cognitive‐Behavioral Methods in High‐Conflict Divorce: Systematic Desensitization Adapted to Parent–Child Reunification Interventions

The concept of parental alienation (PA) has expanded in popular usage at the same time that it remains mired in controversy about its scientific integrity and its use as a legal strategy in response to an increasing range of issues in family court. In this paper we describe how competing advocacy movements (for mothers, fathers and children) in the family justice field have, over time, helped shape the shifting definitions and widening focal concerns of PA-from children who make false allegations of abuse, to those who resist or refuse contact with a parent, to parent relocation, and to the emotional abuse wrecked upon children who are victims of a manipulative parent. In search of common ground for a sound approach to using PA concepts, we argue that the Single Factor model of PA (asserting that an alienating preferred parent is primarily the source of the problem) is inadequate, overly simplistic and misleading. A Single Factor model rests on the fallacy that abuse or poor parenting on the part of either parent have been, or are able to be, ruled out as sufficient reason for the child's rejecting stance. By contrast, multi-factor models of PA make more useful, valid, differentiated clinical predictions of children's rejection of a parent, informed by basic and applied research on children and families. However, multi-factor models are complex and difficult to argue in court and to use in assessment and interventions. Suggestions are made for developing intervention-focused prediction models that reduce the number of factors involved and are applicable across different types of interventions. Key Points for the Family Court Community:Several socio-cultural-legal movements in the last 30 years have contributed to the prevalence, focal concerns and ongoing controversies about Parental Alienation.Persistent erroneous assumption that an alienating parent is primarily the source of a child's resistance/rejection of a parent (called the dominant Single-Factor theory of PA) is problematic in applying PA constructs in research and practice.Four principal factors (illustrating a refined multi-factorial predictive model of PA) are identified as goals for preventive-interventions and are proposed as measures for evaluating outcomes across different kinds of interventions resist/refuse cases in practice.

Section: Shifting Definitions and Criteria For Identifying Pa Casesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Multi‐factor Theoretical Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental Alienation: In Search of Common Ground For a More Differentiated Theory

Johnston¹,

Sullivan²

2020

“…There are a wide range of suggested approaches to resolving conflict between separated parents, including divorce mediation (Emery et al, ), exploration of grief (Somary & Emery, ), integrative family therapy (Lebow & Newcomb Rekart, ), parallel parenting (Stahl, ; Sullivan, ), improving parenting communication through better resources (Blair & Raver, ), parenting coordination (Orlow, ; Sullivan, ), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Garber, ), and enhancing parenting skills (Sandler, Miles, Cookston, & Braver, ). Programs exist that support specific approaches however, little empirical data is available to guide decisions (Drozd, Saini, & Olesen, ; Grych, ).…”

Section: Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Application of the Polyvagal Theory to High Conflict Co‐Parenting Cases

Bailey¹,

Dana²,

Bailey³

et al. 2020

Families, litigants, lawyers, advisors embroiled in cases of complex divorce with child contact issues, manage many stressors at once. Participants involved with these types of cases are often exhausted and burned-out from the long-term battles of prolonged litigation. The inability to problem-solve or even communicate effectively reflects the chaos and traumatic stress of the experience and can be seen as a hallmark of this population. When people are consistently stressed, there is a breakdown of communication skills that can create an immunity to receiving help from any direction. Often all parties involved appear to be both hyper-alert to potential threat, and hyper-reactive to one another: no one feels safe. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory is premised on the idea that neuroception plays a key role in the nervous system's ability to assess danger in the environment. Neuroception is a neurophysiological response that does not involve cognitive processing. When cognitive processing is not involved, the result may lead to misinterpretation of, and an inability to accurately assess situations: executive functioning including rational thinking and communication skills are lost to physiological response. Rather than evaluating families and individuals involved in the aforementioned complex divorce cases through the lens of pathology, Polyvagal Theory explains their behavior as an adaptive stress reaction. Utilizing Polyvagal Theory offers a promising path to treatment with these families and diminishing the poor communication and the heightened emotion, assisting practitioners in understanding the impact of neurobiological response in managing stress and trauma. Applying Polyvagal Theory to court involved populations can help both litigants and practitioners recognize the role of the autonomic nervous system, providing the opportunity to understand, to self-regulate, and to improve communication and decision making. Key Points for the Family Court Community:Separation and divorce. The impact of Parent/Child contact problems in high-conflict divorce and separation. The impact of high conflict co-parenting cases on family law and mental health professionals. Interventions: Current practice Polyvagal theory. Polyvagal informed therapy. Effects of polyvagal approach and self regulation. Managing physiological response from a cognitive perspective. Clinical setting and polyvagal theory. Family therapy and polyvagal theory. Experiential framework and polyvagal theory. *Equine assisted therapy, polyvagal perspectives and alternatives. Processing chaos and grief. Other opportunities for making connection. Implementation for professionals.

“…Thus, the child: (1) creates a fear/anxiety hierarchy regarding alone time spent with the non‐preferred parent (in terms of different possible scenarios and activities, etc. ); (2) learns relaxation techniques; (3) engages in imaginal desensitization in individual therapy (the child, as well as any participating family member in their own individual therapy work) using relaxation techniques; and (4) engages in desensitization and reunification in family therapy (the exposure to the hierarchy may initially be through reciprocal letter writing, to phone calls and video calls, and then to actual contact) using relaxation techniques (Garber, ).…”

Section: Components Of Family Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma‐Informed Interventions in Parent–Child Contact Cases

Deutsch¹,

Drozd²,

Ajoku³

2020

Parent-child contact problems may arise in the context of high conflict separation/divorce dynamics between parents. In cases where there are parent-child contact problems and children resist or refuse contact with one of their parents, there may also be incidents of child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, or compromised parenting that can be experienced by a parent or child as traumatic. The circumstances around separation and/or post-divorce often result in intense stress for families. In this paper we distinguish between the stressful circumstances that may arise as a result of high interparental conflict and pulls for alignment from a parent, and the real or perceived trauma as a factor which contributes to resistance or refusal of a child to have contact with a parent. Interventions to address both trauma responses and the resist-refuse dynamics are differentiated and discussed. After screening and assessment, the intent is to treat trauma responses with short-term, evidence-based therapy, either before or concurrent with co-parent and family intervention. Key Points for the Family Court Community:Parent-child contact problems may have many causes. When children resist contact with a parent the multiple factors including trauma, that result in this problem must be explored.Assessing the impact and symptoms of interparental conflict and trauma on children and coparents, including emotional dysregulation resulting in feelings of being overwhelmed or needing to avoid is necessary to proceed with a family intervention For family intervention to be successful It is necessary for each family member to be able to manage distressing emotions without feeling overwhelmed or numb and to be able to process information accurately. These issues may result in one of the treatment components that can occur before or at the same time as the family intervention.Delaying contact with a parent generally results in more negative characterization, anxiety and polarization and is generally not recommended. Instead safe, structured contact to begin the process of desensitization should occur once the parent and child have basic skills of coping with and managing distressing thoughts and feelings.