Abstract

This study explored the experiences and coping strategies of parents who have been alienated by their children. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 parents who experienced rejection from their children, and research data were compiled, including observations from support group meetings. The central phenomena revealed through the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin (1990) were “anticipatory grief of eternal separation” and “meaninglessness of life without children.” As participants perceived their experiences of rejection from their children as “parental alienation,” they found legitimacy in restoring relationships with their children. The key strategies to cope with an ineffective visitation system and parental alienation included “legal responses,” “awakening to parenthood,” and “mutual support and solidarity among victims.” Parental alienation, a phenomenon combining child abuse and intimate partner violence, significantly impacts various aspects of the lives of these parents. Greater understanding of parental alienation, psychological counseling support, and further research are needed.