Abstract: Parental alienation is a relationship disorder which appears in divorces or separations, which can affect the child’s mental functioning and health, thus violating his rights to have relations with both parents, to maintain relations with other people to whom has developed attachments or with whom he enjoyed family life. There were identified different behavior patterns for alienator parents and they were classified by the frequency and impact of alienation on the child. The alienated child can be identified by behavior criteria manifested in the relationship with the rejected parent, and possible long or medium-term consequences of alienation, which were found by recent research.

Keywords: parental alienation; emotional and psychological abuse; divorce.