There is no abuse as horrific as causing a child to choose between their parents.  Parental alienation is when a child(ren) has been manipulated by their custodial parent or guardian to hold false and distorted thoughts and feelings about the rejected parent.   Parental alienation is an extension of a marriage or relationship where there has been some sort of domestic abuse.  It usually manifests in the context of a high-conflict divorce.  The parent who alienates the child(ren) has an identical profile to that of an abuser.  He/She systematically severs the child's relationship in the majority of cases with the child's healthiest and most loving parent.