Parental separation has adverse effects on children growth and development. In part, children who witness parental conflicts and the eventual breakups develop hatred to the parents, and this may be exhibited through withdrawal signs by the child after parental re-introduction. Parental alienation is more common in modern times than it was before due to increased cases of parental divorce (Fidler & Bala 23). Children who have been alienated develop post-traumatic stress, and this has great impact during the re-unification process. Parents who separate from their children expose the young ones to extreme psychological and emotional abuse and this may lead to child mental health problem. Alienation from children takes toll on children. This may create fear, hatred and parent rejection.
Studies have found that many of the alienated children find it hard to accept parental love and care after years of separation. In some cases, an alienated child develops substance abuse problem or rebellious attitude even when re-united to parents. In addition, some children may run away from homes even after re-unification if parents fail to show and extend maximum love to the children. Although, alienated children may feel hatred for their parents, they yearn to have a reconnection with parents just to receive parental love (Grossmann and Waters129). Nonetheless, the reintroduction of a parent has significant social and personal effects on both the child and the parents.
Research Proposition
The main purpose of this study is to determine the social and personal impact of reconnecting with a parent. Available research shows that parents that have separated or alienated their children expose children to social and personal effects that in turn affect effective reconnection. In carrying out this research, focus will be aimed at investigating the social and personal effects of reintroduction of parents to children.
Hypothesis: Parental-child alienation has significant social and personal effects on children before and after parent reintroduction
Research Questions
• What are the social and personal effects of the child-parent re-unifications.
• What are the universal and personal views of the parental relationships after child-parent reunification?
Preliminary Review
Parental separation and divorces has adverse effects on children. Scholars have the consensus that child alienation during parent separation is tantamount to psychological maltreatment to children (Prior and Glaser 34). Parents through intentional and unintentional acts such as terrorizing, denying emotional responsiveness and exploiting children expose their children to adverse social and personal development challenges. There are several documented cases on effects of children alienation. In particular, previous studies record that children who were alienated from their parents may develop hatred, low self-esteem, become depressed, lack trust and may result to drug abuse (Fidlerand Bala 27). Self-hatred is recorded as the most common disturbing effect on alienated children and the child grow believing that the parent never loved them. In particular, due to the nature of separation or alienation, children develop conflicting relationships that in turn affects their social life with other people (Grossmann and Waters 215).
Barker (2010:17), in her study found that children who had been alienated from their parents developed the same experience with their children. It is evident from studies that alienated children may reject or resist any love from their parents after a period of alienation. Therefore, it is imperative that any form of child-parent reunification be carefully undertaken by specialized experts who are able to apply a psycho-education and clinical intervention approach. Baker observes that parents of the alienated children are also greatly affected as children exhibits rejection attitude and hostility towards their parents (25). As such, after child-parent re-unification parents need to ensure that children are well respected and loved. It is the fundamental right of every child to receive love and unthreatened relationship with their parents.
Theoretical perspectives on child parent re-unification
Attachment theory
According to the attachment theory, children develop close relationships with parents or caregivers and this relationship is adversely affected by separation, threat or hurting (Grossmann and Waters 123). The theory postulates that young children need to have a close attachment with parents in order to develop their emotional and social aspects effectively. As such, children who are alienated or separated from their parents do not develop effective social skills that are important when relating with others. This possibly explains why an alienated child develops self-hatred, depression and low self-esteem after separating from parents (Grossmann and Waters 205). Even after parent reintroduction children will exhibit certain alienation habits such as isolation, lack of trust or are generally unreciprocated when offered attention by the parent.
Social Learning Theory
Bandura (1963:24) in his social learning theory argued that children’s cognitive and social development processes takes place within the social context in which an individual is living. In this case, the family forms an important social institution that facilitates the social and cognitive growth and development of the child. In particular, close attachment to the parent during childhood period helps the child to have effective social and cognitive developments.
However, children who witness parents’ conflict and later become separated from parents may internalize and develop unconstructive behaviors which may influence their later social life. Furthermore, child alienation may reinforce a feeling of been unloved or rejection by the parent and this may affect their relationship with parents after re-union (Fidlerand Bala 23). Similarly, alienation and conflicting relationship between a child and the parent may adversely affect their social lives with other members of the society. As a result of domestic chaos, young children suffer from stress syndrome, trauma and even sleep disturbances.
Parental care inconsistency
Children may find it hard to settle in life due to parental inconsistency. Parents may find it hard enforcing values and morals because children may reject them as effective role models especially grown children. As such, children might find it difficult figuring what is right or wrong if the parents are not on good terms after reunification with children.
Negativism
Children may harbor hatred sentiments to their parents and even after re-unifications this leads to lack of positive communication among family members. Negative communication may take the form of criticism, complaint, displeasure, or similar expressions. This is likely to affect the overall mood in the family.
Variables in the Research
Independent Variable
In this study, ‘the reintroduction of parent’ is the independent variable. In this case, ‘the reintroduction of parent’ will be used to presume that it leads to social and personal effects on both the child and the parent.
Dependent Variable
The ‘social and personal effects’ of parent-child reconnection will be the dependent variable.
Methodology of Study
Overview of research Design
In order to assess and understand the social and personal effects of parental-child relationship after reconnection, the study will use an epistemological approach in data collection. The research design will be guided by the theoretical perspective and research questions. The actual data collection will use the qualitative and quantitative approach. To achieve this, interviews and focus groups will be planned with participants of families that had separated or children that had been alienated from parents.
The use of quantitative and qualitative method is to gather insightful aspects on the social and personal relational effects after parent reconnection with children. The use of triangulation methods is essential helps in in-depth exploration of individual experiences during and after parental-child re-unification. Similarly, triangulation ensures that there is credibility of the collected data by assessing convergence and consistency (Creswell 127). As such, primary information will be collected through semi-structured interviews from family members from parents that had been separated from children.
Participants
Purposeful sampling procedure will be used to choose participants from parents that had separated from their children. Voluntary consent will be sought prior the interviews through physical visit to participants' residents and clear explanation on the purpose of the study. Later, participants will be requested to sign consent forms with clear information on the prospective dates for interviews and focus group sessions.
Works Cited
Baker, A. (2010). “Adult recall of parental alienation in a community sample: Prevalence and associations with psychological maltreatment.” Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 51, 16-35.
Bandura, Albert. Social learning and personality development. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and WinstonPress.1963. Print.
Fidler, B. and Bala, N. “Children resisting post separation contact with a parent: Concepts, controversies, and conundrums.” Family Court Review,2010, 48 (1), 10-47.
Creswell, J.,Standards of Quality and Verification. In J. Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.2007.Print
Grossmann KE, Waters E. Attachment from infancy to adulthood: The major longitudinal studies. New York: Guilford Press.2005. Print.
Prior V, Glaser D. Understanding Attachment and Attachment Disorders: Theory, Evidence and Practice. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, RCPRTU. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.2006. Print.
