Parental Alienation Syndrome Revisited
I have written several posts on this blog about Parental Alienation Syndrome, such as here, here, and here. To get another lawyer's take on this subject, I present the following article published by Dan Nunley at the Oklahoma Family Law Blog a few months ago:
Statistics show that approximately one in two marriages end in divorce and about ten percent of those divorces involve child custody battles. During these emotionally charged proceedings, some children exhibit emotional detachment from one or both parents. The cause of this emotional detachment is unknown and the issues involved are complex.
One suggested theory, developed by the late Richard A. Gardner, M.D., has come to be known as "Parental Alienation Syndrome" (PAS). PAS typically portrays one parent as an evil alienator who through consistent brainwashing is responsible for turning an impressionable and vulnerable child against the innocent, enstranged parent. As a result of this brainwashing, the child reflexively supports the alienating parent and experiences no guilt over their own cruelty towards the enstranged parent.
PAS is becoming an issue in more and more custody cases. However, the mental health profession is far from agreement about the existence of the syndrome. Noting the lack of supporting data, the American Psychological Association has "no official position on the purported syndrome," according to its statement on PAS.
The legal community is divided as well. While many family lawyers believe the syndrome is a legitimate psychological diagnosis, others view it as nonsense. They say it's used primarily by parents who want someone to blame for their poor relationship with their children.
Read more about PAS in this recent article from Lawyers Weekly USA.
Source: "Parental Alienation Syndrome" by Dan Nunley, published at the Oklahoma Family Law Blog.
Statistics show that approximately one in two marriages end in divorce and about ten percent of those divorces involve child custody battles. During these emotionally charged proceedings, some children exhibit emotional detachment from one or both parents. The cause of this emotional detachment is unknown and the issues involved are complex.
One suggested theory, developed by the late Richard A. Gardner, M.D., has come to be known as "Parental Alienation Syndrome" (PAS). PAS typically portrays one parent as an evil alienator who through consistent brainwashing is responsible for turning an impressionable and vulnerable child against the innocent, enstranged parent. As a result of this brainwashing, the child reflexively supports the alienating parent and experiences no guilt over their own cruelty towards the enstranged parent.
PAS is becoming an issue in more and more custody cases. However, the mental health profession is far from agreement about the existence of the syndrome. Noting the lack of supporting data, the American Psychological Association has "no official position on the purported syndrome," according to its statement on PAS.
The legal community is divided as well. While many family lawyers believe the syndrome is a legitimate psychological diagnosis, others view it as nonsense. They say it's used primarily by parents who want someone to blame for their poor relationship with their children.
Read more about PAS in this recent article from Lawyers Weekly USA.
Source: "Parental Alienation Syndrome" by Dan Nunley, published at the Oklahoma Family Law Blog.
I highly recommend this article for more information and research on PAS. The article also includes alternative factors to PAS, caselaw in various states, and in depth research.
"PAS does not meet the courts' threshold requirement to qualify as scientific. Clearly then, the offering of PAS to the courts as an explanatory construct, let alone a basis for making recommendation about the future of children's lives, does not meet the minimal set of ethical standards incumbent on experts appearing before the court....
Because his (Dr. Richard Gardner's) theories are based on his clinical observations (not on scientific data) they should be understood in the context of his atypical views concerning parent child relations.."
"Parental Alienation Syndrome: Frye v Gardner in the Family Courts (Part 2)" By Jerome H. Poliacoff, Ph.D., P.A., Cynthia L. Greene, Esq., and Laura Smith, Esq
http://expertpages.com/news/parental_alienation_syndrome2.htm
Parental Alienation Syndrome is real for those of us on the receiving end.
I have been the target parent for more than 9 years. I am a non-custodial parent, with joint custody, living in Georgia. In 2001, the SC department of Social Services investigated a variety of allegations such as medical neglect, physical and sexual abuse in which I was the alleged perpetrator. This came on the heels of my remarrying and my summertime visitation in Georgia was about to begin. One after another each was unfounded. After each investigation, interview, and embarrassment ran the course, each were determined unfounded and another would suddenly arise. Not only was my visitation interrupted each and every time, but the toll was heavy on my children.
The Guardian Ad Liter was able to secure an independent evaluation in Charleston, SC where in the Forensic Psychologist was able to determine the children were being coached by their mother, whom had primary physical custody. The children were also showing signs they were nowhere near their peers emotionally, socially, or physically.
The DSS finding was against the mother for psychological, emotional and physical harm. The Merit Intervention Order, and Non removal Order, failed the children and only protected the mother.
It is not hard to understand why a new step-mother, thrown to the lions, would not stick around very long for this kind of life.
I remarried once again in Sep.07 and, in as little as 30 days, the allegations have resurfaced. Last week I received a call from a psychologist at a mental health clinic in Greenville explaining that in order to help my children overcome their anxiety, before their thanksgiving visit this year in Ga., she wanted to clarify her understanding that I had been abusing the children in the past, and wanted to make sure the children were safe. She of course had no knowledge of the DSS finding or the treatment plan the mother was suppose to complete. If in fact it was ever completed. I sent via fax a complete history, including the Merit Intervention Order and Treatment plan. The psychologist was surprised that the mother would go to such lengths to lie, and ultimately harm her children. The psychologist, as it turns out, was receiving my daughter as a transfer from the hospital following an alleged suicide, suicide attempt, or suicide thoughts, stay for 10 days. My daughter is 11 years old now. This all started for her before her 5th birthday. She and her brother, now 14, have been victims all along.
It is not surprising to me that we would revisit old history again. The mother of course did not want me contacted to verify the allegations, nor was she able to produce any document, medical exam, or witness. Even in the face of known history, that which landed the first DSS finding, Parental Alienation is still real to those of us on the receiving end.
The problem is not so much recognition that it is a valid syndrome, but more of a real form of abuse. I weathered many allegations, and although tired and frustrated, my children are the ones who have suffered far too much for any one to ignore.
It is time for the entire community to pick its head up out of the sand, and take a firm stand that (PAS) is harmful to children, and quite possibly in some circumstances dangerous.
I urge anyone who has an interest to take a stand for recognition of PAS not only in the court system but the health system as well. It is my hope that DSS, in my children's case, will step up to the plate this time realizing the previous position of non-removal was not in the best interest of the children.
Your questions are encouraged. Please submit to abypilot@yahoo.com or this blog.
Parental Alienation Syndrome is real for those of us on the receiving end.
I have been the target parent for more than 9 years. I am a non-custodial parent, with joint custody, living in Georgia. In 2001, the SC department of Social Services investigated a variety of allegations such as medical neglect, physical and sexual abuse in which I was the alleged perpetrator. This came on the heels of my remarrying and my summertime visitation in Georgia was about to begin. One after another each was unfounded. After each investigation, interview, and embarrassment ran the course, each were determined unfounded and another would suddenly arise. Not only was my visitation interrupted each and every time, but the toll was heavy on my children.
The Guardian Ad Liter was able to secure an independent evaluation in Charleston, SC where in the Forensic Psychologist was able to determine the children were being coached by their mother, whom had primary physical custody. The children were also showing signs they were nowhere near their peers emotionally, socially, or physically.
The DSS finding was against the mother for psychological, emotional and physical harm. The Merit Intervention Order, and Non removal Order, failed the children and only protected the mother.
It is not hard to understand why a new step-mother, thrown to the lions, would not stick around very long for this kind of life.
I remarried once again in Sep.07 and, in as little as 30 days, the allegations have resurfaced. Last week I received a call from a psychologist at a mental health clinic in Greenville explaining that in order to help my children overcome their anxiety, before their thanksgiving visit this year in Ga., she wanted to clarify her understanding that I had been abusing the children in the past, and wanted to make sure the children were safe. She of course had no knowledge of the DSS finding or the treatment plan the mother was suppose to complete. If in fact it was ever completed. I sent via fax a complete history, including the Merit Intervention Order and Treatment plan. The psychologist was surprised that the mother would go to such lengths to lie, and ultimately harm her children. The psychologist, as it turns out, was receiving my daughter as a transfer from the hospital following an alleged suicide, suicide attempt, or suicide thoughts, stay for 10 days. My daughter is 11 years old now. This all started for her before her 5th birthday. She and her brother, now 14, have been victims all along.
It is not surprising to me that we would revisit old history again. The mother of course did not want me contacted to verify the allegations, nor was she able to produce any document, medical exam, or witness. Even in the face of known history, that which landed the first DSS finding, Parental Alienation is still real to those of us on the receiving end.
The problem is not so much recognition that it is a valid syndrome, but more of a real form of abuse. I weathered many allegations, and although tired and frustrated, my children are the ones who have suffered far too much for any one to ignore.
It is time for the entire community to pick its head up out of the sand, and take a firm stand that (PAS) is harmful to children, and quite possibly in some circumstances dangerous.
I urge anyone who has an interest to take a stand for recognition of PAS not only in the court system but the health system as well. It is my hope that DSS, in my children's case, will step up to the plate this time realizing the previous position of non-removal was not in the best interest of the children.
Your questions are encouraged. Please submit to abypilot@yahoo.com or this blog.