Gesinsberaders in die Wes-Kaap se perspektiewe op ouervervreemding tydens egskeiding

Abstract

Parental alienation is described as a child’s unreasonable rejection of one parent due to the influence of the other parent combined with the child’s own contributions. This phenomenon arises mainly in families of divorce where elevated levels of parental conflict, and care and contact disputes lead to increased tension and antagonism between the parties. The perspectives of family counsellors, who conduct assessments of children from families of divorce to make best-interest assessments for contact and care arrangements or to formulate and implement interventions, on parental alienation, were explored in this qualitative study. A literature study was undertaken to define parental alienation and to place the phenomenon in a South African context, specifically with reference to children’s legislature, and care and contact issues. From this, a theoretical framework for the study was constructed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight family counsellors in the Western Cape to explore their experience of the problem. Seven themes were identified, by which the perspectives of family counsellors regarding parental alienation were described in detail. The themes are: Theme 1: Parental alienation during divorce Theme 2: Characteristic properties of parental alienation Theme 3: False accusations during parental alienation Theme 4: Assessing for parental alienation Theme 5: Interventions for parental alienation Theme 6: Parental alienation in the judicial context Theme 7: Needs of family counsellors regarding parental alienation

Ouervervreemding word gekenmerk deur ‘n kind se onredelike weiering om kontak met ‘n ouer te hê, as gevolg van die invloed van die ander ouer in kombinasie met die kind se eie bydraes. Hierdie verskynsel manifesteer hoofsaaklik in gesinne van egskeiding waar hoë mates van ouerlike konflik, en sorg- en kontakdispute tot verhoogde spanning en antagonisme tussen die partye lei. Gesinsberaders wat assesserings van kinders van gesinne in egskeiding doen, hetsy om beste belange-assesserings en aanbevelings vir sorg en kontakreëlings te maak, of om intervensies te formuleer en te implementeer, se perspektiewe op ouervervreemding is deur hierdie kwalitatiewe studie ondersoek. ‘n Literatuurstudie om ouervervreemding te omskryf en die verskynsel in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te plaas spesifiek met verwysing na kinderwetgewing en sorg- en kontakaangeleenthede, is onderneem. ‘n Teoretiese raamwerk vir die studie is hieruit opgebou. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met agt gesinsberaders in die Wes-Kaap gevoer om hulle perspektiewe van die probleem te verken. Sewe temas is geïdentifiseer waardeur gesinsberaders se perspektiewe van ouervervreemding in diepte beskryf is. Die temas is: Tema 1: Ouervervreemding tydens egskeiding Tema 2: Kenmerkende eienskappe van ouervervreemding Tema 3: Valse bewerings tydens ouervervreemding Tema 4: Assessering van ouervervreemding Tema 5: Intervensies vir ouervervreemding Tema 6: Ouervervreemding in die geregtelike konteks Tema 7: Behoeftes van gesinsberaders ten opsigte van ouervervreemding