Parental alienation syndrome is a term coined by the late forensic psychiatrist Richard Gardner to describe a phenomenon he witnessed where children were being turned against one parent, usually as the result of a divorce or bitter custody battle. He described parental alienation syndrome (PAS) as a “disorder that arises primarily in the context of child custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child’s campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It is caused by a combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent’s indoctrinations and the child’s own contributions to the vilification of the targeted parent.”
What are the Symptoms of Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)?
A syndrome is simply a cluster of symptoms with a common etiology. The eight symptoms of PAS are the specific symptoms found in a child who has been successfully alienated. The more symptoms one sees of the eight, as well as the intensity of them, determines the level of severity of the PAS disorder. The eight symptoms are:
- a campaign of denigration;
- weak, frivolous, and absurd rationalizations for the deprecation;
- lack of ambivalence in the child;
- the “independent thinker” phenomenon;
- reflexive support of the alienating parent in the parental conflict;
- absence of guilt over cruelty to and/or exploitation of the alienated parent;
- presence of borrowed scenarios;
- spread of animosity to the extended family of the alienated parent.
In mild PAS, the eight symptoms are mostly present with the exception of two symptoms (lack of ambivalence, and absence of guilt over cruelty to the alienated parent).
As a child moves from mild to moderate PAS, the remaining six symptoms increase in their severity, and the two symptoms noted above begin to appear. In severe PAS, all the symptoms have progressed to the severe level including the two noted above. In other words, with severe PAS, the child loses his or her ability to empathize and to feel guilt in a patterned and predictable way. This level of symptom organization is the very hallmark of the existence of a syndrome.
Is Parental Alienation Syndrome Real?
According to Baker (2006b),
PAS is not universally accepted by therapists, lawyers, judges, or custody evaluators, and the concept has not yet made its way into the mainstream consciousness. There may in fact be some underlying resistance to the notion that an otherwise “good” parent could be so vehemently rejected by his/her child. Perhaps such skeptics hold the belief that a parent must have done something to warrant their child’s rejection and/or the other parent’s animosity.
The problem PAS faces is the problem all new proposed mental disorders face — providing sufficient, objective empirical research that builds upon a solid theoretical foundation. Without such research, professionals can propose all the new diagnoses they’d like, but they will never appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the mental health bible of diagnoses).
One contributing factor to the debate is the lack of sufficient empirical data regarding construct validity. The current literature is only about 20 years old and, thus, still in its relative infancy. Moreover, the majority of books and articles on the topic of parental alienation syndrome and parental alienation are theoretical, descriptive, or proscriptive.
As you can see, something that is only 20 years old in psychological and family research tends to be seen as something “new” or “untested.” Some clinicians and researchers see PAS more as a family dynamic rather than a formal diagnosis, and therefore are resistant to slapping another label on a family or child already going through a stressful family dynamic (Baker, 2007). There have yet to be any psychometrically valid diagnostic tools used to assess PAS, and even amongst professionals, what constitutes parental alienation syndrome is in disagreement (are all eight symptoms necessary or prevalent?).
There are also some misconceptions about PAS, despite its relative newness. Baker (2006a) found that alcoholism, maltreatment, and personality disorders co-occurred in most of the alienating families, suggesting possible areas of targeted intervention for PAS families. Parental alienation could occur in intact families as well as even non-litigious divorced families. In other words, the power games parents play with their children aren’t necessarily because of litigation or legal issues.
In late 2005, the American Psychological Association released a brief statement saying it didn’t have a formal stand on parental alienation syndrome, but noted the lack of empirical research supporting this syndrome.
Despite this syndrome not being too well known outside of custody, legal and family therapy circles, there appears to be a growing body of research to support its use.
References:
Baker, A.J.L. (2007). Knowledge and Attitudes About the Parental Alienation Syndrome: A Survey of Custody Evaluators. American Journal of Family Therapy, 35(1), 1-19.
Baker, A.J.L. (2006a). Patterns of Parental Alienation Syndrome: A Qualitative Study of Adults Who were Alienated from a Parent as a Child. American Journal of Family Therapy, 34(1), 63-78.
Baker, A.J.L. (2006b). The power of stories/stories about power: Why therapists and clients should read stories about the parental alienation syndrome. American Journal of Family Therapy, 34(3), 191-203.
Gardner, R. (1998) Parental alienation: A guide for mental health and legal professionals. Cresskill, NJ: Creative Therapeutics Inc.
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Only Psychology » Blog Archive » Understanding Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) (2/17/2008)
17 Comments to
“What is Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)?”
Interesting post. I have never heard of PAS before, although now that you mention it, I believe that I’ve witnessed some of these symptoms from friends. It’s good to know that this is a somewhat recognized, if not validated disease.
Flips at 10:27 am on
February 20th, 2008I found this item very enlightening. When my father, the alienated parent, died I became aware of and couldn’t understand my previous “absence of guilt over cruelty to and/or exploitation of the alienated parent.”
I’ve also noticed in myself in general behaviour: “the child loses his or her ability to empathize and to feel guilt in a patterned and predictable way.”
The reference to Baker(2006a) “Parental alienation could occur in intact families” also sheds light for me on how this could have occurred even in the absence of a custody battle for physical custody of a child. Thank you.
Dr. Gardner wrote that 90% of the alienating parents were the mothers. My research located two case series that corroborated his finding.
Anne at 8:37 pm on
February 20th, 2008I am at the receiving end of this. My child has rejected me utterly and gone to live with his dad. I have been a loving involved parent. It is his lack of empathy and guilt that most shocks me. His dad is encouraging this behavior even though he really does not want to assume the burden of single parenting. what can i do?
Jimmy at 3:04 pm on
February 24th, 2008I see children/adolescents every day that present with these symptoms. Seeing first hand the consequences of parents using their children for ‘emotional footballs,’ I would caution all parents to leave your children out of it when you disgree with your partner. I believe that drawing your children into your drama is emotional abuse, plain and simple.
As for labels and empirical study James Audubon once said “when the bird and the book disagree, go with the bird.” I have to treat the whole child and the family to be effective, but it’s a shame that I even need to. Parents everywhere, please wake up.
Tina at 3:56 pm on
March 3rd, 2008Anne,
I’m a victim too, and have succeeded in protecting one of my two daughters with the help of the book Divorce Poison by Dr. Richard Warshak. What helped me to help her was to be able to give my less-affected child a reason to give her father as an “out” or an “excuse” for wanting to see me.
The older one still suffers greatly. He has succeeded in taking her mother from her, at least during this stage of her life.
My heart goes out to you. Don’t ever give up.
Sammy at 1:12 am on
April 3rd, 2008Can PAS be created by someone other than a parent? We are dealing with a situation where a family member now hates her mother and another woman has basically brainwashed her that she should come live with her as her daughter. It’s just completely crazy and there is no reasoning with the child.
The Canadian Symposium For Parental Alienation Syndrome
I would like to announce the date for our conference MARCH 27th – through MARCH 29th, 2009 at the
Metro Toronto Convention Center.
Please visit our website at http://www.CSPAS.ca
Elberta at 3:38 pm on
October 8th, 2008I, too, am a victim. No parent or child should ever have to go through this.
It has been five weeks since I saw my 15-yr old son. He has hit me and believes it is my fault because I “asked for it and he didn’t even hit me as hard as he could.” He broke into my house and steals things from me, including personal information, which he gives to his father. He called me by my first name in a voice message and asked that I stop trying to contact him.
My daughter is 21, and hasn’t spoken to me or any member of my family, in years.
At 41, I had a heart attack from the stress of this situation. Now, I am having additional heart issues due to stress. Today, I saw my attorney and requested no financial obligation if I can’t see my child. Letting go is the hardest thing I have ever done…
I am an alienated mother and believe that men also employ PAS to the same extent, but perhaps in more covert ways. Hence PAS may be more widespread in men than currently believed.
From first hand experience I have witnessed PAS in other men besides my ex: derogatory comments become attitudes, which over time become beliefs and then hostile reactions to the mother from the child…I believe that alienating parents are bullies and employ relational aggression strategies, often recruiting an army of misinformed allies. It is certainly a hard hit –living hell- to the target parent who suffers abuse from all sides yet doesn’t understand what is going on…
NHS at 10:04 pm on
March 16th, 2009My son has been alienated from me by his father and his church. My child has no will to see me or spend time with me. He speaks his father’s words. They have cut me out like a cancer. I live a half mile away. I want to move to another state and start over. My son is 12 in a couple of weeks. It breaks my heart, but leaving this place (It is my ex’s neighborhood and state) and moving back to my home down south would be better. I would miss seeing my son, whom I never see, and would be far away and not able to be summoned, although I am never summoned. Torn and confused. I have nothing to lose except the brief 24 hours every other week that he comes to my house unwillingly. I would rather have an extended visit, undisturbed, far from this place, than stay here like I am waiting and waiting for something to change. Am I abandoning him? I have been divorced 2 1/2 years, and he has behaved this way and favored his father and his father’s family and church (I dont have either) for years before this. My little boy, my little baby is gone. All I have are memories.
Nikita at 8:52 pm on
May 16th, 2009I have been alienated from my 11 year old son since he was 9. At 10 years of age he physically assaulted me more than 5 occassions leaving bruises on my arms. What my soon-to-be ex husband is doing to our son is despicable. After the child assaulted me the first time, he went and bought him an expensive present. The child kept doing it, he kept excusing the behavior. My son now spends half of his time with me, I have not given up on him. It will be the easiest thing to do, to give up, cut my losses and to go on with my life. I can’t walk away from him, I know he needs me. He has not hit me for months, which is an improvement, but at times he spits at me, he calls me names, and when he does not want to obey me he just doesn’t. But I am here and I will never, never, never, never, never give up.
I cannot believe that this posting is still up given the disgrace in which Gardner died in 2004.
Read the facts: Gardner invented PAS as a means of enabling pedophiles to continue abusing kids. The whole thing was a scam which took in the psyshiatric world entirely (at first) but has since been both ridiculed and dismissed by serious childcare practitioners across the globe.
Sincerely 19.9.09 England
Mr. Ward, you don’t know what you are talking about.
I have a friend whose wife “poisoned” her daughter against her father and the daughter has not seen the father in over 7 years. His son was also “poisoned” by the mother but the father finally had contact with the last couple of years.
This was all brought on by a nasty divorce and the sick mind of the mother. The daughter is probably so damaged psychologically that she will never have a normal life, let alone a relationship with any man – thanks to the mom.
She will never have a normal relationship with her father until the mother is gone out of her life.
You don’t believe it until it happens to you or to someone you know.
suzanne at 1:11 am on
November 11th, 2009my son is the victim of the most extreme parental alienation imaginable and he is on a dangerous, downward plight. the step-mother confiscates his phone, monitors calls, controls communication, signs as his parent and vehemently slanders the mother (me) in front of my son and anyone within earshot. she recently orchestrated / exacerbated an incident to have me out of the way while she removed him from my mother’s home and i’ve seen him only three times for one hour in the past two months. this too is controlled and monitored. he is angry, confused, programmed, robotic and seems to be slipping away. i continue to exhaust any/all resources to assert my parental rights. he is losing hope and trust and faith in any/everything, cut off from the world in a volatile environment. no family or friends have been able to reach him. i am so scared for him and no matter how hard i try, what avenue i explore/attempt, there are barriers and sometimes, it seems it is better for him if i disappear. i can’t watch him slip away, change and remain in this downward cycle. is there anything i can do?
Mom at 12:07 pm on
January 20th, 2010This article is promoting a harmful hypothetical theory that is specifically used to cover up abuse of children and is routinely used to take children away from protective mothers. Recent CAL story where Joyce Murphy’s child was placed with child molesting dad by using this made up syndrome. Any legitimate psychology site should be ashamed at publishing this article.
We exist to provide people information about mental health concerns. Whether you recognize it or not, agree or not, there is a body of scientific research on parental alienation syndrome, which is what we discussed in this article. Shame doesn’t enter into the picture; if it did, we might as well stop talking about every mental disorder.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 13 Feb 2008
