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== Application and criticisms== == Application and criticisms==
PAS has been criticized for oversimplification of ] and lacking adequate scientific support to be considered a ]. Proponents believe it accurately describes a subset of children who are alienated from a parent.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Warshak | first = RA | year = 2001 | title = Current controversies regarding parental alienation syndrome | journal = American Journal of Forensic Psychology | volume = 19 | issues = 3 | pages = 29-59 | format = pdf | url = http://www.rhfinc.org.au/docs/controversies.pdf }}</ref> Despite influencing many custody disputes, PAS has not met minimal scientific standards, having not been replicated outside of its proponents and at best is a hypothesis.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Emery | first = RE | title = Parental Alienation Syndrome: Proponents bear the burden of proof | journal = Family Court Review | volume = 43 | issue = 1 | pages = 8-13 | year = 2005 | format = pdf | url = http://www.ncdsv.org/images/PASProponentsBeartheBurdenofProof_Emery_2005.pdf }}</ref> PAS contains a variety of theoretical and practical problems and lacks a scientific foundation.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Bruch | first = CS | title = Parental Alienation Syndrome and Alienated Children – getting it wrong in child custody cases | journal = Child and Family Law Quarterly | year = 2002 | volume = 14 | issue = 4 | pages = 381-401 | url = http://www.thelizlibrary.org/bruch/bruch-expanded.pdf | format = pdf }}</ref> Critics state that Gardner has promoted PAS to a syndrome based on a vague clustering of behaviors, and has not been included in the DSM; despite this, Gardner wishes PAS to be included so it could be cited in court cases.<ref>{{cite book |author=Cosgrove, Lisa; Caplan, Paula J. |title=Bias in psychiatric diagnosis |publisher=Jason Aronson |location=Northvale, N.J |year=2004 |pages= |isbn=0-7657-0001-8 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> PAS has been criticized for oversimplification of ] and lacking adequate scientific support to be considered a ]. Proponents believe it accurately describes a subset of children who are alienated from a parent.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Warshak | first = RA | year = 2001 | title = Current controversies regarding parental alienation syndrome | journal = American Journal of Forensic Psychology | volume = 19 | issues = 3 | pages = 29-59 | format = pdf | url = http://www.rhfinc.org.au/docs/controversies.pdf }}</ref> Critics state that PAS has not met minimal scientific standards, it has not been replicated except by its proponents, and is at best a hypothesis.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Emery | first = RE | title = Parental Alienation Syndrome: Proponents bear the burden of proof | journal = Family Court Review | volume = 43 | issue = 1 | pages = 8-13 | year = 2005 | format = pdf | url = http://www.ncdsv.org/images/PASProponentsBeartheBurdenofProof_Emery_2005.pdf }}</ref> PAS contains a variety of theoretical and practical problems and lacks a scientific foundation.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Bruch | first = CS | title = Parental Alienation Syndrome and Alienated Children – getting it wrong in child custody cases | journal = Child and Family Law Quarterly | year = 2002 | volume = 14 | issue = 4 | pages = 381-401 | url = http://www.thelizlibrary.org/bruch/bruch-expanded.pdf | format = pdf }}</ref> Critics state that Gardner has promoted PAS to a syndrome based on a vague clustering of behaviors, and has not been included in the DSM; despite this, Gardner wishes PAS to be included so it could be cited in court cases.<ref>{{cite book |author=Cosgrove, Lisa; Caplan, Paula J. |title=Bias in psychiatric diagnosis |publisher=Jason Aronson |location=Northvale, N.J |year=2004 |pages= |isbn=0-7657-0001-8 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref>


Parental alienation syndrome has been extensively criticized by members of legal and mental health community, who describe it as inadmissible in child custody hearings based on both science and law.<ref name="PAD and DSM-V"/><ref name=Bruch/><ref name=Wood/> They assert that though presented as a reliable concept the syndrome lacks scientific validity and thus reliability.<ref name=Bruch>{{cite journal |last=Bruch |first=Carol S. |coauthors= |year=2001 |title=Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting It Wrong in Child Custody Cases |journal=Family Law Quarterly |volume=35 |issue=527 |pages= |url= |quote=The deficiencies in PAS theory are multiple...PAS as developed and purveyed by Richard Gardner has neither a logical nor a scientific basis. It is rejected by responsible social scientists and lacks solid grounding in psychological theory or research.}}</ref><ref name=Wood>{{cite journal |last=Wood |first=CL |year=1994 |title=The parental alienation syndrome: a dangerous aura of reliability |journal=Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review |volume=29 |pages=1367–1415 |url=http://fact.on.ca/Info/pas/wood94.htm |accessdate= 2008-04-12|quote=PAS testimony should not be admitted in court because of the causation and evidentiary problems with the theory. Because of the dangerous aura of reliability and trustworthiness extant in Dr. Gardner's self-published theory, admission of PAS is inevitable and particularly disconcerting }}</ref><ref name=Hoult>{{cite journal |last=Hoult |first=Jennifer Ann |year=2006 |title=The Evidentiary Admissibility of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Science, Law, and Policy |journal=Children's Legal Rights Journal |volume=26 |issue=1 |url=http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=642440|quote=The article also analyzes the writings of PAS’s originator, child psychiatrist Richard Gardner - including twenty-three peer-reviewed articles and fifty legal decisions he cited in support of his claim that PAS is scientifically valid and legally admissible - finding that these materials support neither PAS’s existence, nor its legal admissibility }}</ref> Critics refer to PAS as a self-published theory that has not been corroborated by peer-reviewed publications,<ref name="Ackerman" /><ref name="Hoult" /><ref name="Wood" /><ref name=Dallam1999>{{cite book |last=Dallam |first=S.J. |year=1999 |editors= E. St. Charles & L. Crook| title =Expose: The failure of family courts to protect children from abuse in custody disputes | publisher =Our Children Our Children Charitable Foundation |chapter =The Parental Alienation Syndrome: Is It Scientific? |url=http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/dallam/3.html}}</ref> and add that research by other professionals has not substantiated some tenets of the theory.<ref name = Faller>{{cite journal |last=Faller |first=K. C. |year=1998 |title=The parental alienation syndrome: What is it and what data support it? |journal=Child Maltreatment |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=100–115 |quote=No data are provided by Gardner to support the existence of the syndrome and its proposed dynamics. In fact, the research and clinical writing of other professionals leads to a conclusion that some of its tenets are wrong and that other tenets represent a minority view |url=http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/docs/Faller1998.pdf |format=PDF|doi=10.1177/1077559598003002005}}</ref> Gardner stated that "initially, many were dubious about the existence of the disorder, some even considering my descriptions a caricature. Generally, the dubious were those who were not directly involved in working with families embroiled in child-custody disputes. By the late 1980s I was no longer hearing this criticism, so obvious was it that the disorder was widespread."<ref name="PAS definition"/> Parental alienation syndrome has been extensively criticized by members of legal and mental health community, who describe it as inadmissible in child custody hearings based on both science and law.<ref name="PAD and DSM-V"/><ref name=Bruch/><ref name=Wood/> They assert that though presented as a reliable concept the syndrome lacks scientific validity and thus reliability.<ref name=Bruch>{{cite journal |last=Bruch |first=Carol S. |coauthors= |year=2001 |title=Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting It Wrong in Child Custody Cases |journal=Family Law Quarterly |volume=35 |issue=527 |pages= |url= |quote=The deficiencies in PAS theory are multiple...PAS as developed and purveyed by Richard Gardner has neither a logical nor a scientific basis. It is rejected by responsible social scientists and lacks solid grounding in psychological theory or research.}}</ref><ref name=Wood>{{cite journal |last=Wood |first=CL |year=1994 |title=The parental alienation syndrome: a dangerous aura of reliability |journal=Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review |volume=29 |pages=1367–1415 |url=http://fact.on.ca/Info/pas/wood94.htm |accessdate= 2008-04-12|quote=PAS testimony should not be admitted in court because of the causation and evidentiary problems with the theory. Because of the dangerous aura of reliability and trustworthiness extant in Dr. Gardner's self-published theory, admission of PAS is inevitable and particularly disconcerting }}</ref><ref name=Hoult>{{cite journal |last=Hoult |first=Jennifer Ann |year=2006 |title=The Evidentiary Admissibility of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Science, Law, and Policy |journal=Children's Legal Rights Journal |volume=26 |issue=1 |url=http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=642440|quote=The article also analyzes the writings of PAS’s originator, child psychiatrist Richard Gardner - including twenty-three peer-reviewed articles and fifty legal decisions he cited in support of his claim that PAS is scientifically valid and legally admissible - finding that these materials support neither PAS’s existence, nor its legal admissibility }}</ref> Critics refer to PAS as a self-published theory that has not been corroborated by peer-reviewed publications,<ref name="Ackerman" /><ref name="Hoult" /><ref name="Wood" /><ref name=Dallam1999>{{cite book |last=Dallam |first=S.J. |year=1999 |editors= E. St. Charles & L. Crook| title =Expose: The failure of family courts to protect children from abuse in custody disputes | publisher =Our Children Our Children Charitable Foundation |chapter =The Parental Alienation Syndrome: Is It Scientific? |url=http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/dallam/3.html}}</ref> and add that research by other professionals has not substantiated some tenets of the theory.<ref name = Faller>{{cite journal |last=Faller |first=K. C. |year=1998 |title=The parental alienation syndrome: What is it and what data support it? |journal=Child Maltreatment |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=100–115 |quote=No data are provided by Gardner to support the existence of the syndrome and its proposed dynamics. In fact, the research and clinical writing of other professionals leads to a conclusion that some of its tenets are wrong and that other tenets represent a minority view |url=http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/docs/Faller1998.pdf |format=PDF|doi=10.1177/1077559598003002005}}</ref> Gardner stated that "initially, many were dubious about the existence of the disorder, some even considering my descriptions a caricature. Generally, the dubious were those who were not directly involved in working with families embroiled in child-custody disputes. By the late 1980s I was no longer hearing this criticism, so obvious was it that the disorder was widespread."<ref name="PAS definition"/>

Revision as of 21:12, 30 March 2009

Parental alienation syndrome (PAS, also known as also known as parental alienation disorder), is a controversial syndrome formulated by Richard A. Gardner in which a child maintains a campaign of denigration against a parent without justification. PAS is believed by Gardner to arise in part due to indoctrination by one parent against the other parent primarily in association with a child custody dispute, and in part as a result of the child's own behavior. A diagnosis of PAS has been accepted as evidence in custody cases in the United States and some other countries, though PAS has been critiqued by members of legal and mental health community as lacking in scientific validity and reliability.

Overview

Gardner described PAS in 1985 as an obsessive preoccupation by the child with criticism and deprecation of a parent. Gardner stated that parental alienation syndrome can occur when, in the context of child custody disputes, one parent deliberately or unconsciously attempts to alienate a child from the other parent; though his original formulation of PAS stated the mother was the alienator over 90% of cases, later revisions suggested that fathers are as likely as mothers to engage in alienating behaviors. Gardner suggests that PAS may be divided according to severity, with mild and moderate cases requiring family therapy while in the most severe cases, separation from the offending parent may be justified.

Allegations of PAS have tended to be made in response to allegations by a parent (often the mother) of child abuse, including sexual abuse by the other parent in order to prevent further contact between the child and that parent. The syndrome implied that a child's allegations of abuse were the result of parental "brainwashing" and thus not could not be regarded as credible. Gardner's syndrome has been criticized for negatively impacting parents who raise allegations of abuse in the family court.

In theory, however, PAS is described as only causing unjustified alienation and vilification, and not occurring when the vilified parent has actually acted in ways such that the vilification is based on actual harm. In cases where child abuse or neglect has occurred, the hostility may be justified and PAS should not be used. In cases such as these, Gardner suggests parental alienation may be the appropriate term.

Application and criticisms

PAS has been criticized for oversimplification of parental alienation and lacking adequate scientific support to be considered a syndrome. Proponents believe it accurately describes a subset of children who are alienated from a parent. Critics state that PAS has not met minimal scientific standards, it has not been replicated except by its proponents, and is at best a hypothesis. PAS contains a variety of theoretical and practical problems and lacks a scientific foundation. Critics state that Gardner has promoted PAS to a syndrome based on a vague clustering of behaviors, and has not been included in the DSM; despite this, Gardner wishes PAS to be included so it could be cited in court cases.

Parental alienation syndrome has been extensively criticized by members of legal and mental health community, who describe it as inadmissible in child custody hearings based on both science and law. They assert that though presented as a reliable concept the syndrome lacks scientific validity and thus reliability. Critics refer to PAS as a self-published theory that has not been corroborated by peer-reviewed publications, and add that research by other professionals has not substantiated some tenets of the theory. Gardner stated that "initially, many were dubious about the existence of the disorder, some even considering my descriptions a caricature. Generally, the dubious were those who were not directly involved in working with families embroiled in child-custody disputes. By the late 1980s I was no longer hearing this criticism, so obvious was it that the disorder was widespread."

In 1996, the American Psychological Association (APA) released a statement indicating that the organization has no official position with respect to parental alienation syndrome. The statement referenced the APA's 1996 Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family, and reported that the syndrome lacked data to support it, and expressed concern about the term's use. The Task Force report expressed concern that custody evaluators "may accuse of alienating the children from the father and may recommend giving custody to the father in spite of a history of violence", a concern shared by other commentators. PAS is not recognized by the American Medical Association, or the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Dr. William Bernet, a psychiatrist, has provided arguments for including parental alienation disorder in the next edition of the DSM. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has rejected it.

Some fathers' rights activists assert that PAS exists and that it explains why some children are fearful or refuse contact with their fathers during custody and access cases. Women's groups and others argue that PAS is used by fathers to marginalize legitimate fears and concerns about abuse, and they oppose the legitimacy of PAS as a danger to children. Both sides state that they wish to protect children.

Philip Stahl, a child custody evaluator, states that problems described by advocates on both sides of the issue on PAS are happening, adding that during child custody hearings, courts are ruling in favor of people unfairly accused of alienation and are also ruling against people who have been alienated. He added that some evaluators do not understand alienation, and some evaluators want to apply it in every case.

Amy Baker, a psychologist who wrote a 2007 book on the experiences of adult children who claim to have suffered alienation, states that it is unfortunate that women's groups have taken a stance against PAS, as many women have suffered because of the actions of alienators: in her view mothers or fathers are equally likely to manipulate the children and alienate them from the other parent.

Some writings have focused less on diagnosing a syndrome and more on what has been described as the "alienated child", and the dynamics of the situation that have contributed to the alienation. In this view, alienation is seen as a breakdown of attachment between parent and child, and may be caused by multiple factors. The behaviors of all family members, including those of the alienated parent, may lead to the family dysfunction and rejection of a parent. Adherents to this view criticize Gardner's analysis for being at best incomplete, if not simplistic and erroneous, for inappropriately assigning all responsibility of the child's behavior to one parent, when in cases where the alienated parent has sufficient parenting time, the child's behavior is oftentimes, but not always, the result of a dynamic in which both parents and the child play a role. The evaluation of all contributing factors and all possible remedies are warranted in evaluating cases of parental alienation syndrome.

PAS has been cited as part of the child custody determination process in the United States and some other countries, though courts in the United Kingdom have not accepted the syndrome's existence.

References

  1. ^ Bernet, William. "Parental Alienation Disorder and DSM-V". The American Journal of Family Therapy: 349–366. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |Date= ignored (|date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Issue= ignored (|issue= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Volume= ignored (|volume= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS): Sixteen Years Later". Academy Forum, 2001, 45(1):10-12 (A Publication of The American Academy of Psychoanalysis.). 2001. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Accessdate= ignored (|accessdate= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Fortin, Jane (2003). Children's Rights and the Developing Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 263. ISBN 9780521606486.
  4. ^ Bainham, Andrew (2005). Children: The Modern Law. Jordans. p. 161. ISBN 9780853089391.
  5. ^ Radford, Lorraine (2006). Mothering Through Domestic Violence. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. pp. 114–5. ISBN 9781843104735. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "radford" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ Bruch, Carol S. (2001). "Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting It Wrong in Child Custody Cases". Family Law Quarterly. 35 (527). The deficiencies in PAS theory are multiple...PAS as developed and purveyed by Richard Gardner has neither a logical nor a scientific basis. It is rejected by responsible social scientists and lacks solid grounding in psychological theory or research. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Wood, CL (1994). "The parental alienation syndrome: a dangerous aura of reliability". Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. 29: 1367–1415. Retrieved 2008-04-12. PAS testimony should not be admitted in court because of the causation and evidentiary problems with the theory. Because of the dangerous aura of reliability and trustworthiness extant in Dr. Gardner's self-published theory, admission of PAS is inevitable and particularly disconcerting
  8. ^ Ackerman, Ph.D, Marc J. (2002). Clinician's Guide to Child Custody Evaluations. John Wiley and Sons,. pp. 73–82. ISBN 9780471150916.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. ^ Jaffe, Peter G. (2002). Child Custody & Domestic Violence. SAGE publications. pp. 52–54. ISBN 9780761918264. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Dallam, S.J. (1999). "The Parental Alienation Syndrome: Is It Scientific?". Expose: The failure of family courts to protect children from abuse in custody disputes. Our Children Our Children Charitable Foundation. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
  11. Gardner, Richard A. (2002). "Denial of the Parental Alienation Syndrome Also Harms Women". American Journal of Family Therapy. 30 (3): 191–202. doi:10.1080/019261802753577520.
  12. ^ Winerip, Michael L (September 23, 2007). "When Ties to a Parent Are Cut by the Other". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
  13. ^ Caplan, Paula J. (2004). "What is it that's being called Parental Alienation Syndrome". In Paula J. Caplan, Lisa Cosgrove (ed.). Bias in psychiatric diagnosis. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 62. ISBN 9780765700018.
  14. ^ Brown, Thea (2007). Child Abuse and Family Law: Understanding the Issues Facing Human Service and Legal Professionals. Alexander, Renata. Allen & Unwin. pp. 11–12. ISBN 9781865087313.
  15. John E. B. Myers, John Briere, Lucy Berliner, ed. (2002). The APSAC handbook on child maltreatment. SAGE. p. 396. ISBN 9780761919926.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  16. Gardner, RA (1998). "Recommendations for Dealing with Parents who Induce a Parental Alienation Syndrome in their Children". Journal of Divorce & Remarriage. 28 (3/4): 1–21. doi:10.1300/J087v28n03_01.
  17. ^ Hoult, Jennifer Ann (2006). "The Evidentiary Admissibility of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Science, Law, and Policy". Children's Legal Rights Journal. 26 (1). The article also analyzes the writings of PAS's originator, child psychiatrist Richard Gardner - including twenty-three peer-reviewed articles and fifty legal decisions he cited in support of his claim that PAS is scientifically valid and legally admissible - finding that these materials support neither PAS's existence, nor its legal admissibility
  18. Warshak, RA (2001). "Current controversies regarding parental alienation syndrome" (pdf). American Journal of Forensic Psychology. 19: 29–59. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |issues= ignored (help)
  19. Emery, RE (2005). "Parental Alienation Syndrome: Proponents bear the burden of proof" (pdf). Family Court Review. 43 (1): 8–13.
  20. Bruch, CS (2002). "Parental Alienation Syndrome and Alienated Children – getting it wrong in child custody cases" (pdf). Child and Family Law Quarterly. 14 (4): 381–401.
  21. Cosgrove, Lisa; Caplan, Paula J. (2004). Bias in psychiatric diagnosis. Northvale, N.J: Jason Aronson. pp. 62. ISBN 0-7657-0001-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. Faller, K. C. (1998). "The parental alienation syndrome: What is it and what data support it?" (PDF). Child Maltreatment. 3 (2): 100–115. doi:10.1177/1077559598003002005. No data are provided by Gardner to support the existence of the syndrome and its proposed dynamics. In fact, the research and clinical writing of other professionals leads to a conclusion that some of its tenets are wrong and that other tenets represent a minority view
  23. "APA Statement on Parental Alienation Syndrome". Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 1996.
  24. ^ Sparta, Steven N. (2006). Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children and Adolescents. Oxford University Press. pp. 83, 219–221. ISBN 9780195145847. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  25. "American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence And The Family". 1996. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  26. Comeford, Lynn (2009). "Fatherhood Movements". In O'Brien, Jodi (ed.). Encyclopedia of Gender and Society. Vol. 1. SAGE. p. 285. ISBN 9781412909167.
  27. ^ Ottaman, Ana (2008). "Fathers' rights movement". In Edleson, Jeffrey L., Renzetti, Claire M. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Violence. Sage Publications. p. 252. ISBN 978-1412918008. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  28. ^ McElroy, Wendy (November 7, 2005). "PBS Film Ignites Fathers' Rights Debate". Fox News. Retrieved 2009-01-12. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  29. Friedlin, Jennifer (December 17, 2004). "Mothers Push Reforms in Family Courts' Handling of Custody Cases". The Forward. p. 6. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  30. ^ Abendschein, Dan (2008-03-09). "Bill addresses theory used in custody cases". Retrieved 2008-12-12.
  31. ^ Waldron, KH (1996). "Understanding and Collaboratively Treating Parental Alienation Syndrome". American Journal of Family Law. 10: 121–133. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

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