The Consequences of Parental Abduction: A Pilot Study With a Retrospective View From the Victim

This descriptive pilot study examined parental abductions through a retrospective view from the abductee. The purpose of this pilot study was to help mental health professionals better understand the psychological consequences that result from a parental abduction in order to help the victims when they return home. A multiple choice and short answer questionnaire was developed for this pilot study and administered through phone interviews. A total of 13 people participated in the study. Effects identified in this study by the abductees included loss of trust with the opposite sex, trouble making and keeping friends, feeling like they were in a dream-like world, trouble recalling important aspects of the abduction, and trouble sleeping and concentrating after the abduction.