Abduction of Children by Their Parents: A Psychopathological Approach to the Problem in Mixed-Ethnicity Marriages

Aim: Child abduction by one parent and their transport to a foreign country is increasing worldwide but has not received adequate scientific interest. When inter-marital relationships reach the point of break-up and divorce, one of the parents abducts his/her child/children.
Method: Records of forty seven (47) cases of inter family abduction that took place in 2007 in Greece were obtained. The majority of cases concerned relocation of children in a foreign country. A special inventory was developed for data collection. This consisted of three distinctive parts, for the father, the mother, or the abducted child.
Results: Results showed that a typical abductive mother is of non Greek nationality, more likely of having psychiatric symptoms, without indication of substance abuse and no signs of violent behavior. Abductive fathers are of Greek nationality, less likely of having psychiatric symptoms, no substance abuse, and tend to exhibit violent behavior. Legal resolution of these cases and repatriation takes very long adding to the child and family’s distress.
Conclusions: Child abduction is associated with cases of dissolved marriages. Domestic violence is frequent. Child abduction cases takes on average 3.5 years to be resolved, a phenomenon that has obvious implications on the mental health of the children and the parents involved.