EXAMINING THE OVERLAP OF PARENTAL ALIENATION AND COVERT INCEST
Kelly Husted , Forensic Psychology Cadenec Smith , Forensic Psychology MENTOR John Woodman , Behavioral and Social Sciences
Parental alienation and covert incest are two forms of emotional abuse within family systems that can significantly disrupt a child’s psychological and relational development. These adverse experiences can leave children's emotional needs overlooked and unmet, erode the security necessary for healthy development, and lead to disconnection and dysfunction in relationships. Despite their similarities, these forms of abuse are rarely researched together. Both constructs tend to be held outside of mainstream psychology and lack official recognition as diagnoses. To bridge research and enhance the understanding of each of these constructs and their effects, we took a quantitative approach to uncover the degree of overlap and separation between these two parent-child abuse-type interactions. We administered and analyzed self-report surveys to adults pertaining to covert incest, parental alienation, and family communication in their childhood. Through the examination of these responses, we were able to quantify the extent to which the behaviors associated with parental alienation and covert incest converge. In practice, this research argues for covert incest and parental alienation to be recognized as forms of abuse in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
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UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH INSTITUTE | 41
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