Indicators of Child Victimization in High-Conflict Divorce: Interprofessional Consensus Based on a Delphi Panel

Abstract

Highly conflictive divorces represent a serious problem that affects the health of the children involved. Thus, in addition to the consequences derived from a tense and difficult judicial procedure, children experience the negative effects of inappropriate parental behavior that can have an impact on their health and development. To date no work has formally addressed the identification of parental behaviors that may be considered victimizing to children. In the present study, we explore the specific indicators that could define that a child is suffering victimization due to some undesirable behavior or attitude displayed by his or her parents in the specific context of high-conflict divorce. The sample consisted of an interprofessional group of experts (psychologists, judges, lawyers, prosecutors) at the national level (n = 15). The results showed a high consensus among professionals on the majority of inappropriate parental behaviors. This study is the first to provide a list of victimizing behaviors of children in the context of high-conflict divorce that may guide future interventions and prevention policies to mitigate the effects they experience during this process.