Malicious Mother Syndrome: 4 Terrifying Symptoms

Malicious Mother Syndrome is recognized when a mother intentionally tries to separate children from their father and hurts the father. Such an act is dangerous as well as emotionally challenging for both the father and the children.

Serious attempts to alienate children might lead to the development of insecurities and negatively impact them. A malicious mother is a threat to her children.

1. Malicious Parent Syndrome

To understand malicious mother syndrome, you must know what malicious parent syndrome is. This syndrome is usually associated with parents who are divorcing or divorced.

One parent attempts to degrade the other to get custody of their children. This involves lying to the children, attempts to punish the other parent and other malicious actions. To accomplish this, a parent might make their child(ren ) believe in false accusations.

But both the mother and father can be malicious. It is also known as parental alienation.

A divorce can affect mental health adversely. Not all divorces end up in malicious parent syndrome¹. In good relationships, divorced parents try to ensure their children get what they require.

But there are instances when divorcing, or divorced parents develop parental alienation syndrome. Sometimes, it includes malicious acts towards each other, problems with custody, and child abuse.

1.1. Malicious Parent Syndrome Can Be Proven by Checking the Following Factors

• Child neglect or child abuse
• Refusal to visitation.
• Lying to the child about the other parent
• Not providing basic necessities to the child and wrongly accusing the other parent of such a condition.
• Denying any form of contact with the other parent.
• Hurting the other parent by alienating them from the child.
• Manipulating the child.
• No particular mental disorder to explain such acts.

2. How to Deal With Parental Alienation Syndrome?

When there are constant efforts to damage relationships between a child and their parent, it creates stress. Sometimes, for the safety of the child, a parent may willingly avoid interactions. This makes the child believe that the malicious acts were truly malicious.

Such a wrong belief can make a child hate the other parent. A person showing malicious parent syndrome can successfully manipulate their children and make them dislike the other parent.

Malicious behaviour in parental alienation syndrome² has a lot of legal consequences. A parent may get involved in civil and criminal law violations in their attempts to punish the other one.

Attacking and damaging the other parent and their property, child neglect, denying the necessities of children, and portraying the other parent as evil can violate family law as well as criminal laws.

Denying visitations which has court approval can have legal consequences. Defamation is also punishable under the law. Malicious mother syndrome can have a negative influence on custody arrangements.

Seeking the guidance of a psychologist can also help you deal with parental alienation syndrome. They can spot the nuances where a parent acts maliciously. They will also help you in making the best decisions for your child as well.

There are various options, legal as well as psychological, to deal with parental alienation. The court may appoint amicus attorneys on behalf of your child. Make use of it to protect your child.

Therefore, malicious parent syndrome should be taken seriously.

3. Malicious Mother Syndrome

It can be called malicious mother syndrome when mothers express malicious behaviour and campaign to hurt their previous partner.

It is not recognized as a mental disorder at present. This syndrome is associated with behavioural change among divorcing or divorced partners. To turn children against their fathers, mothers harm their previous partners in various ways.

4. Signs and Symptoms

By identifying the following signs, you can understand whether a divorced mother or a mother undergoing a divorce has malicious mother syndrome.³

4.1. Hurting Ex-partner

When a mother unjustifiably punishes the divorcing or divorced partner, it indicates malicious mother syndrome. This might be fulfilled by alienating the child from the partner, making others do malicious acts against the partner, and excessive litigation.

Also, giving wrong information regarding their children is a sign of a malicious mother.

4.2. Avoiding Paternal Presence

Simply put, some mothers try to deny a father’s presence to their child. To succeed in such malicious activity, they use various methods. A mother might not allow a child to visit their father or let the father know where the child is.

Malicious mothers also attempt to deny the child any form of communication, be it telephone access or letters or calls, with the father. Not allowing the father to participate in the children’s school life and extracurricular activities signifies malicious mother syndrome.

4.3. Malicious Actions

In attempting to alienate children from their father, a mother may use pervasive and malicious acts that violate the law.

Lying to the children to degenerate a father’s reputation, constantly lying to others about the partner, and involving others to do the same are all signs of a malicious mother.

4.4. Acting Maliciously Without Any Underlying Mental Disorder

A completely normal mother may change when their relationship is ruined. Some might have a previous mental disorder. This can justify behaviours involving abnormal acts.

But when a person follows a particular pattern of acts to hurt someone, it suggests malicious mother syndrome. Such a disorder may be developed to wreck the relationship of a father with his children.

You should check whether a mother is showing malicious behaviour specifically due to another mental disorder or if it’s a plan to get full custody of mutual children.

5. How to Deal With Malicious Mother Syndrome?

Dealing with malicious mother syndrome can be difficult if you don’t know how to do it. Consult a family law attorney to resolve such issues. Since it is an upsetting process, it is best if you handle it with some experienced attorneys.

Moreover, letting your child live with a person who has such threatening behaviour is not advisable. Modify agreements and gain custody of your child. Approach the court and provide counselling for the malicious mother.

Get legally sanctioned visitation orders to maintain a connection with your child. You should always remember to protect your child’s interests.

6. Conclusion

It is necessary to recognize malicious mother syndrome and take action to provide a safe environment for your child. Do not tolerate violations of the law. Approach the court if needed.

Discover more healthy information.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

7.1. What Is Divorced Dad Syndrome?

Divorced dad syndrome, also referred to as guilty dad (or father) syndrome, is a pattern of behaviour that occurs in some men after divorce. They are consumed by guilt because the family has fallen apart perhaps because of their wrongdoings.

7.2. What Is Malicious Intent and Parenting?

Mothers who are emotionally absent or cold may not be responsive to their baby’s needs. They may act distracted and indifferent during interactions or actively reject the child’s attempts to approach them.

7.3. Is Parental Divorce a Trauma?

Feeling vulnerable, unable to handle major life changes⁴, or losing a parent, even partially, can leave children feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope.

1. Turkat, Ira Daniel. “Divorce-related malicious parent syndrome.” Journal of Family Violence 14 (1999): 95-97. ↩︎
2. Meier, Joan S. “A historical perspective on parental alienation syndrome and parental alienation.” Journal of child custody 6.3-4 (2009): 232-257. ↩︎
3. Turkat, Ira Daniel. “Divorce related malicious mother syndrome.” Journal of family violence 10 (1995): 253-264. ↩︎
4. Bridges, William, and Susan Bridges. Transitions: Making sense of life’s changes. Hachette UK, 2019. ↩︎

Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by ayeshayusuf