Parents behaving badly: Gender biases in the perception of parental alienating behaviors.

Abstract

According to gender role theory, individuals who confirm expectations associated with their gender roles are rewarded and judged against these expectations when they deviate. Parental roles are strongly tied to gender, and there are very different expectations for behaviors of mothers and fathers. This study examined how mothers' and fathers' behaviors that support or discourage a positive relationship with the other parent are perceived in terms of their acceptability. Two-hundred twenty-eight parents completed an online survey assessing perceptions of acceptability of negative (parental alienating) and positive coparenting behaviors. Results provided support for our hypothesis: Although parental alienating behaviors were rated unacceptable, they were more acceptable for mothers than fathers. Expectancy violation theory can explain why parental alienating behaviors are not viewed as negatively when mothers exhibit them than fathers. (PsycINFO Database Record

Parental Alienation: The Blossoming of a Field of Study

“…Parental alienation is the result of an alienating parent’s coercion, control, and generation of fear in the child toward the targeted parent, making this a very complex form of family violence (Clawar & Rivlin, 2013; Harman et al, 2018). Hundreds of parental alienating behaviors have been documented by researchers, including badmouthing the targeted parent and his or her extended family, engaging in coercive controlling behaviors to force an alliance with the child and to reject the targeted parent, saying the targeted parent does not love the child, confiding in the child about adult matters, limiting the child’s contact with the other parent, violating court orders regarding parenting time and communication, undermining the targeted parent’s authority with the child, letting the child choose whether to visit with the targeted parent, and making false allegations of abuse (Baker & Darnall, 2006; Harman, Biringen, Ratajck, Outland, & Kraus, 2016; Harman et al, 2018).…”

“…Gender differences do arise in how parental alienating behaviors are perceived and addressed by third parties. For example, mothers who use parental alienating behaviors are not perceived as negatively as when a father or a gender-neutral “parent” uses them (Harman, Biringen, et al, 2016). Arguably, gender biases may have influenced how parental alienation has been handled in social institutions such as family court (Lorandos, 2017), indicating that perceptions of mental health, legal, and law-enforcement professionals; financial resources; established distribution of custody practices; and other factors can generate great disparities in terms of who is more affected by parental alienating behaviors.…”

Abordagens da alienação parental: proteção e/ou violência?

“…Apesar de o poder se expressar também nas relações de gênero, marcadas por valores culturais arraigados (HARMAN et al, 2016), percepções disso não são consensuais:…”

“…As abordagens periciais têm um grande peso na decisão judicial, havendo pressão significativa para que os profissionais cheguem a um diagnóstico conclusivo, embora não existam ferramentas suficientes para tal (CLEMENTE; PADILLA-RACERO, 2015), nem consenso em campos como a psicologia e a psiquiatria, que apresentam diferentes pontos de vista, alguns inclusive imbuídos de preconceitos (HARMAN et al, 2016). Apesar disso, os discursos produzidos por peritos detêm status de ciência, e, portanto, valor de verdade (MIRANDA JÚNIOR, 2010).…”

“…Pesquisa recente encontrou 13,3% de prevalência em pais adultos da Carolina do Norte (HARMAN et al, 2016).…”