Prognosis and Long-Term Consequences of Untreated Alienation on Young Adults and Their Families
Prognosis and Long-Term Consequences of Untreated Alienation on Young Adults and Their Families
This chapter reviews research on the impact of alienation on children and adults who were alienated as children, spontaneous reconciliation, and the sustainability of the contact and relationship. Although there is little, if any, well-controlled and empirically based evidence about the effects of alienation, clinical observations, cases reviews, and qualitative studies have demonstrated with few exceptions that alienated children are at risk for short-term emotional distress and long-term adjustment difficulties. The existing data on spontaneous reconciliation and the sustainability of the contact and relationship are preliminary and mixed. There is a real need for empirical, longitudinal data on the long-term consequences of alienation. What is clear is that these cases are often extremely complex, and the intervention or lack of it must be determined on a case-by-case basis. However, if a relationship is discontinued during childhood, there may be the hope, but not the certainty, that it may later be reestablished.
Keywords: children, adults, spontaneous reconciliation, emotional distress, adjustment difficulties
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