5. Systemic and Societal Impact

Parental alienation doesn’t just affect individual families in isolation - it has broader social, economic, and public health implications. From the costs of mental health care and court interventions to the ripple effects on communities, the impact of this phenomenon is far-reaching. This section also touches on laws/policies in different regions and the ongoing efforts to address the issue at a systemic level.

Economic and public costs: High-conflict custody battles and the fallout of parental alienation impose significant costs on society. Consider the legal system burden: courts can spend years on a single contentious custody case, with numerous hearings, evaluations, and sometimes the involvement of child protective services. Each case can involve court resources, judge time, appointed guardians, therapists, evaluations - all of which are costly. A U.K. analysis in 2017 attempted to estimate these costs: It broke down expenses for a typical severe alienation case (including court time, lawyers, social services, therapy, etc.) and arrived at an estimate of around £107,000 per case12. When multiplied by the roughly 200,000 cases per year in England where alienation may be present, it suggested an annual cost over £21 **billion** to the U.K. (over $27 billion USD). Even if that estimate is rough and “conservative” by the author’s admission, it gives a sense that we’re dealing with tens of billions in costs when scaled nationally. This includes not only legal fees (often paid by families, but many cases involve public funds for court and sometimes legal aid) but also downstream costs.

What are those downstream costs? For one, mental health care: Alienated children and targeted parents often need therapy, sometimes long-term. The targeted parent may require treatment for depression or PTSD, the child may need counseling to recover their emotional well-being and repair the ruptured parental bond. These services might be covered by insurance or public programs in some cases, or if not treated, the psychological issues can worsen and lead to other health expenditures (for example, an alienated youth developing substance abuse and needing rehabilitation). Healthcare systems bear the cost of the stress-induced health problems and mental health issues arising from alienation. A child who has unresolved trauma might need special education services or interventions in school, imposing costs on educational systems as well.

There’s also the productivity loss: A targeted parent consumed by a legal battle and depression may be less productive at work or even drop out of the workforce, meaning less economic output and possibly reliance on public assistance. The UK analysis factored in welfare benefits - noting that an alienated parent might end up on benefits or the alienating parent might underwork due to obsessively fighting the custody war. In the worst cases, children who suffer severe emotional damage might struggle to become fully productive adults, potentially requiring social support or contributing less to the economy over their lifetime. While hard to quantify precisely, some commentators have likened the societal cost of parental alienation to that of other major public health issues. For instance, one could argue that if ~1% of children have severe alienation (comparable to autism prevalence), and given the intense interventions autism rightly receives, parental alienation might warrant similar attention and resources.

Social and intergenerational impacts: Society is built on family units, and when a family is damaged by alienation, it affects the community fabric. Children alienated from a parent often lose contact with an entire side of their family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins on the targeted parent’s side may be cut off. This shrinks the child’s support network and also causes pain to extended family members, effectively “alienating” them as well. There are many support groups of grandparents who have lost access to grandchildren due to an alienating son- or daughter-in-law. The aggregate effect is community ties weakened and more individuals suffering loneliness or grief.

Moreover, as noted earlier, alienated children can carry forward unhealthy relationship patterns. This can contribute to higher divorce rates and more broken families in the next generation, as suggested by studies of adult children of divorce. It becomes a cycle: children of high-conflict, alienating divorces tend to have high-conflict relationships themselves15. Breaking this cycle would have positive social effects (more stable families, less intimate partner conflict in the next generation).

Public awareness and advocacy: Until recently, parental alienation was not widely recognized by the public or policymakers. That’s changing. There are now numerous advocacy organizations globally (e.g., Parental Alienation Awareness groups, the Parental Alienation Study Group of researchers, etc.) pushing for greater recognition. Some countries have had “Parental Alienation Awareness Day” campaigns on April 25th each year to educate the public. The advocacy has a dual aim: prevent alienation through education (teaching parents and professionals to recognize and stop the behaviors early) and press for better legal remedies.

We have seen policy responses: Brazil’s law, mentioned above, which formally labels and punishes alienation, stands out. In the U.S., there have been attempts at the state level to introduce legislation (for instance, bills that would mandate training for custody evaluators on alienation, or that would define willful and malicious false allegations in custody cases as a form of child abuse - indirectly targeting alienation tactics). While some proposals stalled, the conversation itself has influenced family court practices.

However, the controversy around parental alienation theory has also become a policy issue. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided not to include parental alienation as a diagnosis in the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases) after initially considering related terms - largely due to concerns raised by women’s rights groups about misuse in custody cases19. And as noted, the United Nations Human Rights Council report in mid-2023 advised countries to ban the use of “parental alienation” in court, calling it a biased pseudo-theory. This has led to some policy tug-of-war: for example, Spain’s government moved to bar the term from court use, whereas some U.S. state legislatures considered resolutions to affirm that courts should take alienation seriously. The end result is that policy responses are not uniform - they reflect deeper debates about gender bias and children’s rights.

Is there movement to criminalize or treat it as abuse legally? As mentioned, Brazil is moving toward possibly criminalizing severe cases. In the U.S. and UK, parental alienation per se is not a criminal offense (though related behaviors like violating custody orders can lead to contempt sanctions or even criminal charges in extreme cases of abduction or illegal withholding). Some advocates argue that if we consider it child abuse, then perhaps the law should prosecute it like other child abuse. But most experts caution that criminalizing it might be counterproductive - the preferred approach is usually therapeutic and civil (family court) interventions, since the goal is to heal the family, not punish and potentially incarcerate the parent (which could further harm the child).

Broader societal costs: There’s also a moral and public health argument: children growing up alienated are essentially children subjected to unrecognized abuse. If we allow that to continue at scale, we are potentially dealing with a hidden public health crisis. Some psychologists have called parental alienation a “silent epidemic”6, given how many are affected and how little public attention it has received historically. The long-term mental health burden (in terms of depression, anxiety disorders, etc. stemming from childhood alienation) ultimately affects society’s well-being and healthcare costs. By raising awareness and treating it as a serious issue, communities can hopefully prevent some of the worst outcomes - for example, by intervening before an alienated child spirals into self-harm or a targeted parent is pushed to a breakdown.

Anecdotal case impact: To illustrate the stakes, consider a common scenario advocacy groups highlight: A divorcing couple has two children; one parent (say the father) methodically alienates them from their mother out of revenge. The mother, previously a loving caregiver, now finds her children refusing to see her. She spends her life savings on court motions and therapy trying to undo the damage. The children, meanwhile, have been told false stories that their mother abandoned them or is dangerous. They develop anxiety and anger issues. The school notices their grades drop and behavior worsen. Fast forward: The mother loses custody entirely; the kids grow up with the bitter, alienating father, and one child runs away at 17 due to the toxic home environment, while the other struggles with relationships, having learned to “hate” one half of their family. Society might end up supporting that runaway (homeless services, etc.) and paying for the other’s counseling or even incarceration if things go poorly. If, alternatively, the alienation had been recognized early and the children gotten help (and perhaps custody adjusted), much of that fallout could be avoided. This composite story is basically what the data we’ve discussed implies on a larger scale.

Encouraging developments: On a positive note, awareness is growing. Professional conferences now address parental alienation; continuing education for family lawyers and judges often includes the topic. The American Psychological Association (APA) has published guidelines for forensic evaluators to consider the dynamics of alienation and realistic estrangement. Some family courts have begun appointing special masters or parenting coordinators in high-conflict cases to manage and monitor behaviors - potentially catching alienation early. And in jurisdictions like Australia and Canada, there is a trend toward better enforcement of contact orders and even placing children with the rejected parent for “protective” reasons if alienation is clearly proven. Australia is currently debating family law reforms where the term isn’t explicitly used but the spirit is to ensure both parents get a meaningful relationship with children absent abuse - implicitly addressing alienation as unacceptable. In the UK, the 2025 Steward Law summary (see Section 1) mentions Professor Hine’s recommendations for a two-fold plan: improved mental health support for affected families and widespread public awareness campaigns4. This kind of approach treats parental alienation as not just a private family matter but a public issue requiring resources and education, much like how society addresses bullying or domestic violence.

Closing thoughts: The systemic impact of parental alienation justifies calling it a “family justice” issue and a public health concern. If we frame it that way, governments and institutions are more likely to dedicate funding to research and intervention. And indeed, we see that starting: The U.S. National Institute of Justice funded studies on custody outcomes; the UK government has funded some research into children’s experiences in family court; even the UN weighing in shows it’s on the international agenda (albeit contentiously). The hope of advocates and experts is that with better data (like the data compiled in this report) and clearer recognition, fewer children will have to suffer the trauma of parental alienation going forward. The challenge is implementing solutions that protect children’s relationships with both parents while also protecting them from genuine abuse - a nuanced task that requires training, awareness, and sometimes, tough legal decisions.

In summary, parental alienation is widespread, harmful, and costly, but it is finally receiving the attention commensurate with its seriousness. The next steps at a societal level include continuing to educate all stakeholders (from divorcing parents to judges to mental health workers) about the signs of alienation, developing validated protocols to distinguish it from other issues, and scaling up services (like specialized counseling) to help families reunify and heal. The data and trends presented here aim to leave no doubt: the scale, severity, and systemic nature of parental alienation are real - and addressing this problem is crucial for the well-being of millions of children and parents around the world6, 3.

← Part 4: Divorce, Custody, and Legal System References →

Sources:

  1. Harman, J. J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2016). Prevalence of parental alienation drawn from a representative poll. Children and Youth Services Review, 66, 62-66. 1

  2. Harman, J. J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019). Prevalence of adults who are the targets of parental alienating behaviors and their impact. Children and Youth Services Review, 106, 104471. 2

  3. Blotcky, A. D., & Bernet, W. (2022). A Silent Epidemic: Parental Alienation in a Child is on Par With Physical and Sexual Abuse. Psychiatric Times. 6

  4. Hine, B. et al. (2025). Prevalence and impact of parental alienating behaviours (UK survey findings summarized by Stewarts Law). 4

  5. Baker, A. J. L. (2005). The Long-Term Effects of Parental Alienation on Adult Children: A Qualitative Research Study. American Journal of Family Therapy, 33(4), 289-302. 9

  6. López, W., Iglesias, A., & García, M. (2014). (Study on gender differences in alienating behaviors) - as cited in Harman et al. 2019. 3

  7. Bernet, W. (2010). Parental Alienation, DSM-V, and ICD-11. (Estimate that ~1% of U.S. children are alienated, ~740,000). 5

  8. Meier, J. (2020). Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations (Dept. of Justice-funded study). Summary via ProPublica 16.

  9. ProPublica (2023). Parental Alienation: A Disputed Theory With Big Implications (Investigative article by E. Baar, summarizing court controversies and UN stance). 21, 19

  10. CDC/NCHS National Vital Stats. (2025). Marriage and Divorce Rates 2000-2023. 14

  11. LinkedIn - Squires, S. (2017). “Is Parental Alienation Costing the UK £20 billion a year?” (Cost breakdown analysis)12.

  12. Family Justice Council (UK 2024). Guidance on parental alienation allegations. 18

  13. United Nations HRC. (2023). Report on custody and violence against women (calls parental alienation a pseudo-concept)20.

  14. CAFCASS (UK). (2014). Statement via The Guardian: “Parental alienation present in 80% of most difficult cases.” 7

  15. Psychology Today - Betchen, S. (2024). How High-Conflict Divorcing Couples Can Influence Children (notes ~20% separations high-conflict)15.

(Additional citations within text as noted by bracketed numbers).