A new study has found that children who are caught in the middle of parental alienation are significantly more likely to develop emotional and behavioural problems as they grow older. The research, which followed over 800 Chinese schoolchildren for two years, has shed light on how manipulative behaviours from one parent can erode children’s trust, emotional security and self-regulation skills. The findings were published in the journal Children and Youth Services Review.
Parental alienation refers to psychological manipulation by one parent designed to turn a child against the other. This can involve undermining the other parent, restricting contact or demanding loyalty, often after a separation or divorce. While this phenomenon has long been documented in the West, the new study is among the first to explore how it plays out in Chinese families, where parent–child bonds are shaped by strong cultural values of respect and emotional restraint.
Ying-hang Huang, PhD, a researcher from Northeast Normal University, explained: “Our research was motivated by the increasing prevalence of parental alienation in modern families and its potential impact on adolescent development, particularly within the Chinese cultural context.” He added: “The unique Chinese cultural emphasis on parent-child relationships, combined with rising divorce rates (reaching 30.8% in 2022), created an important context for investigating how parental alienation affects adolescent development through specific psychological pathways.”
The researchers examined how parental alienation affects the relationship between children and their parents and how this influences the way children manage their emotions. They found that alienation weakens the attachment between parent and child, making it harder for young people to develop the emotional tools needed to cope with stress. Children exposed to alienation were more likely to suppress their feelings and less likely to reframe negative experiences in a healthy way.
Huang noted: “Our longitudinal study spanning two years revealed that parental alienation behaviours significantly predict adolescent problem behaviours through disrupted parent-child attachment and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies.” He further explained: “Secure attachment serves as a protective factor, while insecure attachment resulting from alienation increases vulnerability to both internalising and externalising problems.”
These emotional disruptions were closely linked to later behavioural issues, including aggression, anxiety, depression and impulsivity. Crucially, the study identified a clear sequence: alienation damaged parent–child attachment, which undermined emotional regulation, increasing the risk of behavioural problems.
Huang elaborated: “Parental alienation was associated with decreased use of adaptive cognitive reappraisal and increased use of maladaptive expressive inhibition among adolescents.” These findings, he noted, “highlight the importance of attachment-focused interventions in clinical settings and emotion regulation training in school-based programmes.”
Although the study focused on schoolchildren aged 11 to 13 in Jilin Province, its findings are broadly relevant. Rising divorce rates across Asia and shifting parenting roles have created new pressures on families. In some cases, the absence or diminished role of one parent (often the father) results in children becoming emotionally enmeshed with the remaining parent. This dynamic can create loyalty conflicts, emotional suppression and confusion about family bonds.
The study also highlighted gender differences in how alienation affects children, with boys and girls displaying distinct emotional and behavioural patterns. Cultural expectations around parental roles in Chinese society may intensify these effects, especially where emotional expression is discouraged.
Looking ahead, Huang said: “We plan to extend our research by incorporating multi-informant data collection, including parental reports and systematic behavioural observations to capture family dynamics more comprehensively.” He added: “We’re also interested in differentiating between anxious and avoidant patterns of insecure attachment to understand their distinct influences on behavioural outcomes.” The team aims to explore targeted interventions that strengthen parent-child attachment and improve emotion regulation skills.
The findings underscore the need for timely interventions. The researchers suggest that schools could play a role in identifying emotional distress linked to family breakdowns and recommend parenting support programmes to help separated couples prioritise their children’s well-being.
Mental health professionals may also benefit from these insights when working with young people affected by family conflict. Attachment-based therapies and emotional regulation training could help mitigate some of the damage caused by alienation. Huang emphasised: “Our research underscores the need for policies recognising parental alienation as a form of psychological maltreatment requiring systematic intervention, particularly within cultural contexts that may inadvertently mask alienating behaviours as legitimate parenting practices.”
