Estrangement by Design: The Role of Dark Tetrad and Life History Strategy in Perceived Estrangement and Parental Alienation Syndrome

This study tested whether parental Dark Tetrad traits and Life History Strategies (LHS) predict perceived Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) and adult child estrangement. In 252 U.S. Prolific participants, a Fast Life History Strategy (FLHS) strongly predicted both PAS and estrangement. Psychopathy was associated with higher PAS and greater estrangement, while narcissism unexpectedly predicted lower levels. Age, female gender, and higher education were linked to reduced estrangement but minimally affected PAS. Findings support LHS as a framework for family dynamics and indicate that dark personality traits differentially relate to perceived parental alienation versus adult child estrangement. Implications for intervention are discussed.