Navigating the Maze: Parental Alienation, Self-Esteem and Parenting Styles

Abstract

This study examines the interplay between childhood parental alienation, adult self-esteem, and parenting styles experienced during upbringing. The sample comprises 125 Romanian participants (76% female, 24% male), aged 21 to 59 (M= 33.8, SD= 8.88). Distinct datasets were formed based on the absence of either parent during childhood, enabling separate analyses for mother-child and father-child relationships. Results reveal a statistically significant negative association between childhood parental alienation and adult self-esteem. Moreover, a significant positive correlation is found between experiencing democratic parenting during childhood and current self-esteem. The study also demonstrates that the authoritarian parenting style only moderates the relationship between parental alienation and self-esteem within the father-child relationship, albeit at a low to moderate level of influence. Conversely, this effect is not observed within the mother-child relationship. These findings have been further analyzed in the context of current research on the topic, thus contributing to the comprehension, prevention and management of parental alienation, its impact on adult self-esteem, and the promotion of healthier parent-child relationships.

Keywords

• parental alienation
• self-esteem
• parenting styles