Communication between a parent and child, weaponized in the context of parental alienation, often occurs via telephone. These interactions, which should ideally foster a healthy parent-child relationship, can instead be manipulated to undermine the child’s affection for the targeted parent. A seemingly innocuous phone call might, for instance, involve subtle disparaging remarks about the other parent, contributing to a negative perception and ultimately influencing the child’s willingness to maintain contact.
The implications of using these communication channels to alienate a child are profound. Such actions can have long-lasting detrimental effects on the child’s emotional well-being, self-esteem, and future relationships. Historically, while the phenomenon of parental alienation has been recognized for some time, the specific ways in which technology, including phone calls, is utilized to further this process is an evolving area of concern for legal and mental health professionals.
