Effects of parental alienation on internalizing and externalizing behaviors of children and adolescents

Parental Alienation (PA) is more frequent in families undergoing legal disputes for child custody. Forensic assessment of PA during lawsuits helps to identify psychological disorders in children resulting from the phenomenon. This study aimed to assess children and adolescents during legal disputes using three instruments: Parental Alienation Scale, Parenting Styles Inventory, and the Brazilian version of the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages. Seventy children divided into two groups were assessed: Group A included children with signs of PA, and Group B, children without signs of PA. The children in both groups rated their parents’ parenting practices as deficient. Participants in Group A had symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder, cognitive delay, and social and anxiety problems. This study suggests the feasibility of performing forensic assessments and using instruments validated in Brazil to identify the phenomenon and its consequences for the children involved.