Publication of Article on Family Treatment for Child Alienation

The article, “Family Treatment for Moderate Child Alienation”, authored by Leonard T. Gries, Ph.D. and James R. Gries, Psy.D. has just been published in the fall, 2019 edition of the Journal of Health Service Psychology, 45, (3), 105 – 113. As written in the synopsis, “Child alienation is manifested by significant resistance to parental contact that is disproportional to actual past experience. Individual interviews and questionnaires with all parties and structured family interactions are needed to assess presence and severity. In cases of moderate alienation, a family treatment model featuring psychoeducation, inclusive family goal setting, progressive desensitization, exposure, and development of a new family narrative is recommended.” An introduction to the family treatment model is excerpted, below from page 109 of the article.

Within a family systems approach, the entire nuclear family participates in various combinations. Each family member is seen individually, as well as in various combinations, including the parents together, the child with each parent, and the entire family together. A preliminary assessment of the factors contributing to the alienation of the child, the level of alienation that exists, and the readiness of each parent to participate in family treatment is essential. If family treatment is indicated, goals of treatment, as elucidated by Johnston (2005b), may be adopted:

• “protecting and removing the child from parental conflict;
• fostering the child’s healthy relationship with both parents;
• restoring the parents’ adequate functioning and appropriate roles;
• correcting the various cognitive distortions, polarization, and splitting present in parents and child;
• augmenting the child’s coping skills and improving appropriate expressions of the child’s affect;
• replacing inaccuracies and distortions with more realistic perceptions that reflect the child’s actual experience with both parents; and
• improving the child’s peer relationships.”
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The overarching objective is for the child to achieve sufficient critical thinking skills, and sense of autonomy to be empowered in reaching conclusions about each parent. What follows is a description of how each of seven critical case management and clinical components may be woven into an intensive course of treatment. The components consist of:
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1. Maximizing structure through written contract with the parties;
2. Providing psycho-education on the adverse effects of child alienation;
3. Including all family members in the goal-setting process;
4. Desensitizing the anxious/fearful child to the rejected parent;
5. Establishing a new family narrative through dyadic parent sessions, followed by parent-child and full family sessions;
6. Exposing child to respectful parental interactions, exhibiting contrition, forgiveness, and determination to cooperate in behalf of the child;
7. Meeting with family members individually to address personal, past and present issues which may be impacting response to family treatment.

References are available at National Register.org