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Parental
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PAS MATERIAL
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What is Parental Alienation Syndrome?
Parental alienation syndrome (PAS), or alienation syndrome, is a controversial concept advanced by Dr. Richard Gardner who has worked for many years as a child therapist and forensic psychiatrist dealing with cases in the courts in the United States. The Parental Alienation Syndrome, so named by Dr. Gardner, is described as a distinctive family response to divorce in which the child becomes aligned with one parent and preoccupied with unjustified and/or exaggerated denigration of the other, target parent. In severe cases, the child's once love-bonded relationship with the rejected/target parent is destroyed. Testimony on Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in legal proceedings has sparked debate. Gardner was one of the first to draw attention to what he saw as the gross injustices committed by alienating parents, initially seen as being mostly in relation to fathers being re-rejected from the family as a result of separation or divorce. Although from time to time matters are reversed and the alienation syndrome refers to the mother as the target parent, most often it refers to fathers since the courts and western societies tend to favour mothers as custodians of their children and frequently as sole custodians. This is something which most family law practitioners encounter from time to time, often in high conflict cases. More recently Gardner has observed that this syndrome is now beginning to balance out with almost as many mothers being the rejected/target parent as fathers.
There are many who reject Dr. Gardner's approach, often relying on criticisms of his and his writings but there are many who have looked at this subject separately and have reached the same conclusions without attracting the same sort of criticism.
The listings below contain one of the most comprehensive collections of web sites dealing with this controversial topic. They are divided into 3 categories: Material by Dr. Gardner, Material by Others, and Material Critical of Dr. Gardner.
In the section Material From Dr. Gardner you will find a series of articles by Dr. Gardner explaining his theory, updating it, citing various journals which have accepted articles from him and other journals with articles discussing PAS by others. There is also a collection of cases, with citations, which have referred to PAS in their reasons. I suggest that starting with his March 2000 Addendum, which comments on and up dates some of his findings, is the most interesting way of getting into this subject through Dr. Gardner.
In the section Material From Others you will find sites with articles and comments by psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers and others dealing with PAS. One of the most valuable places to start is The Spectrum of Parental Alienation Syndrome, a two-part article by Deirdre Conway Rand, Ph.D. appearing in the American Journal of Forensic Psychology, Vol. 15, Parts 2 & 3, 1997. This is a fairly lengthy exploration of the subject. Explore the other sites for shorter discussions of PAS, how to recognize it, its effects and how to deal with it. As well, look at the sites with links to other articles on this topic.
In the section Material Critical of Dr. Gardner you will find some material I came across on the Internet which sets out a contrary view of Dr. Gardner. Interestingly, however, these articles attack the man rather than the substance of his views. Articles in the section Material From Others suggest that the views may be defended more comfortably than their first exponent.
The concept behind parental alienation syndrome is one which resonates with family law lawyers, whether they like the man or not, and the terrible situation it describes is seen by too many people and experienced by too many children.
More sites will be added over the next while. If you know of other PAS resources on the Internet not yet posted here please let me know.
Thanks, Joel Miller
Material by Dr. Gardner
[Items are added at the bottom and the most recent are marked NEW]
LEGAL
AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC APPROACHES TO THE THREE TYPES OF PARENTAL ALIENATION
SYNDROME FAMILIES: When Psychiatry and the Law Join Forces Article by Richard
A. Gardner, M.D. in COURT REVIEW, VOLUME 28, NUMBER 1, SPRING 1991 American
Judges Association The Parental Alienation Syndrome (the book)
Misperceptions Versus Facts About The Contributions of Richard A. Gardner, M.D.
Articles in Peer-Review Journals on the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)
Articles in Peer-Review Journals on Dr. Richard A. Gardner's Protocols for the Sex-Abuse Evaluation
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PAS MATERIAL
BY OTHERS
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[Items are added at the top and the most recent are marked NEW]
Sites With Collections of PAS Material
[NOTE: These sites contain menus chock filled with PAS related documents and articles culled from a wide range of sources and journals. In some cases there are specific articles which appear on both sites and in some cases some of them are also listed below in Sites With Specific PAS Material. One is left with no doubt as to the bias and approach taken to this topic by the sites listed here, but the articles appear, in most cases, to come from reputable journals and publications. They are written by psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, child care workers and practicing matrimonial lawyers. If you get past the concern with who is staffing the entrance and look at the articles you will find some very informative material. For the contrary view check out the sites listed below under Material Critical of Dr. Gardner.]
[[]][][NOTE:
The
Fathers Rights to Custody PAS Information Archive
World-Wide
Divorced Parents Site
Sites With Specific PAS Material
[NOTE: These sites may contain a single article or may be a site with information but not as large as those listed in Sites With Collections of PAS Material.]
MMPI-2
Validity Scales and Suspected Parental Alienation Syndrome
Parent
Alienation Syndrome: A Two Step Approach Toward A Solution
The
Parental Alienation Syndrome: An Analysis of Sixteen Selected Cases
Parental Alienation Syndrome
By Dr. Daniel Swerdlow-Freed
The Spectrum of Parental Alienation Syndrome
A two-part article by Deirdre Conway Rand, Ph.D.
Parental Alienation Syndrome Homepage
Parental Alienation Syndrome - Article by Dr. Reena Sommer
Family Wars: Parent Alienation Syndrome - Composite case from actual examples
The Emperor's New Clothes : Divorce Process & Consequence
Parents Who Have Successfully Fought Parental Alienation Syndrome
The Father’s Guide: Coping with Parental Alienation
Identifying Cases of Parental Alienation Syndrome
Material Critical of Dr. Gardner
[Items are added at the top and the most recent are marked NEW]
[NOTE: The material on these sites come from people who are quite adamantly opposed to the PAS concept and are clear in their criticism of anyone who disagrees with them.
This is an article published in Court Review in which Dr. Gardner sets out some of his views. Obviously the editors felt this was something with which members of the the American Judges Association should be familiar. This article is found on both the World-Wide Divorced Parents site and the Fathers Rights to Custody site, each of which has a great number of articles on this subject.
The Parental Alienation Syndrome - the book
This is a link to order the 2nd edition of Dr. Gardner's influential book with a link to the table of contents.
Misperceptions
Versus Facts About The Contributions of Richard A. Gardner, M.D.
(July 8/99 Update 1)
To use Dr. Gardner's own words from the introduction to this article:
This is an addendum to the 2nd edition of The Parental Alienation Syndrome. A good idea, this lets the author use the Internet to update the hard copy of his book. In this addendum Dr. Gardner sets out his observation that the incidence of fathers using the same techniques to alienate a child from the mothers as mothers had earlier been reported to use has now reached the 50% level. This is no longer just a "fathers" concern. I believe that once this is accepted as something which parents do and that it can be done by either parent it will become a more accepted theory. Earlier on PAS was marginalized and criticized by some as a "theory" which fathers used against mothers when their children simply didn't want to spend time with them.
Articles in Peer-Review Journals on the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)
This link contains two different items of interest. The first is a series of comments on various criticisms of Gardner's PAS theories and the second contains listings of articles on PAS found in various peer-review journals. That second category contains listings of articles written by Gardner (10), by others in which PAS is the sole or primary focus of the article such that it appears in the title (36) or in which the focus is primarily on PAS although not referred to in the title (45). There is also a listing of reviews of Gardner's books appearing in peer-reviewed journals (7). If you want to get information on PAS in reputable journals by people other than Gardner, this is a great starting point. Dr. Gardner updates this list from time to time.
Articles in Peer-Review Journals on Dr. Richard A. Gardner's Protocols for the Sex-Abuse Evaluation
A list of peer-reviewed publications that have accepted articles of Dr. Gardner's describing his full sex-abuse protocols. (15 items)
This is a listing of various cases throughout the United States and Canada in which evidence of PAS has been admitted. This list is compiled by Dr. Gardner and includes case citations where available or details of the court and date so you can locate the decision if you wish.
PAS Material by Others
MMPI-2 Validity Scales and Suspected Parental Alienation Syndrome
This article by by Jeffrey C. Siegel, Ph.D. and Joseph S. Langford, Ph.D. originally appearing in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, Volume 16, Number 4, 1998, p. 5-14, reports on their test of two groups of parents and their finding that their hypothesis was confirmed "indicating that PAS parents are more likely to complete MMPI-2 questions in a defensive manner, striving to appear as flawless as possible. It was concluded that parents who engage in alienating behaviours are more likely than other parents to use the psychological defences of denial and projection, which are associated with this validity scale pattern. Implications of this finding regarding possible personality disorders in PAS parents are discussed."
The Fathers Rights to Custody PAS Information Archive
This site has a clear and identified bias. But it presents a large range of articles taken from reputable publications dealing with the matters of concern to its readers. This link is to its PAS Information Archive with over 35 such articles. Spending time with these articles helps people understand this parent/parent/child concern in a more dispassionate light - which doesn't make its consequences any less scary.
Parent Alienation Syndrome: A Two Step Approach Toward A Solution
L.F. Lowenstein, PhD, is a consultant psychologist at the Centre for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Emotional-Behavioural Problems, Allington Manor School and Therapeutic Centre, Allington Lane, Fair Oak, Eastleigh, Hampshire, in England. This article, published in Contemporary Family Therapy, Volume 20, Number 4, December, 1998, p. 505-520, "advances the proposal that mediation play a much larger role in cases of parental alienation syndrome in the British justice system. With one in three or more marriages leading to separation or divorce in Great Britain, there is a great urgency to develop plans with the legal system to make certain that both parents can have the opportunity to continue to play a role in the lives of their children." She refers to a 10-year study involving 16 cases as providing evidence that the initial use of mediation may well be superior to the initial use of the adversarial system on its own.
The Parental Alienation Syndrome: An Analysis of Sixteen Selected Cases
This the study referred to in the preceding paper. John Dunne and Marsha Hedrick published their report in the JOURNAL OF DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE, Vol. 21, p 21-38 1994 analyzing "sixteen cases which appeared to meet Dr. Richard Gardner's criteria for parental alienation syndrome as set forth in his 1987 book. These cases showed a wide diversity of characteristics but Gardner's criteria were useful in differentiating these cases from other post-divorce difficulties. Traditional interventions were ineffective in altering the alienation."
This site is dedicated to various aspects of the parental alienation syndrome topic. It has a vast selection of articles from throughout the English speaking world on this topic and is highly recommended as a terrific place to start looking PAS material.
William Kirkendale is an angry father who has been denied access to his daughter and feels that the family courts in the United States are in serious need of reform and education. He isn't alone either in that country or Canada. While some of his comments may be thought to be a bit extreme by some the gist of what he has to say is that a parent who cuts off a child from seeing his (or her) non-custodial parent is cause child abuse and should be seen as doing so. He gives realistic advice to fathers caught in this situation although the stridency in his voice and writing needs to be toned down for such a father to obtain a reasonable hearing. His website familycourts.com has a statement of his mission and other material on it.
This is a newsletter produced by Promoting Responsible Fatherhood, a father's rights group. Because the bias is clear doesn't mean that the thoughts expressed are exaggerations or not clearly felt by many non-custodial fathers. The most recent item is titled "What can I do about this situation?" and sets out how a parent in this situation can educate him/herself and their lawyer as well as passing on the advice to stay involved with your child as much as possible in the circumstances. The site also has a good archive section of previous items and a links page related to PAS.
Parental Alienation Syndrome Article
This excellent article by By Daniel H. Swerdlow-Freed, Ph.D. is found at Divorce Online, a site with a number of very informative articles on a range of family law subjects. Dr. Swerdlow-Freed's article is a thoughtful and well considered attempt at explaining what this concept is about.
The
Spectrum of Parental Alienation Syndrome
A two-part article by Deirdre Conway Rand, Ph.D.
appearing in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY. VOLUME 15. Part
1 in NUMBER 3 1997 and Part 2 in NUMBER 4 1997
This two-part article seeks to shed light on the debate regarding the issues raised by Dr. Richard Gardner's work dealing with Parental Alienation Syndrome by reviewing Gardner's work and that of others on PAS, integrating the concept of PAS with research on high conflict divorce and other related literature. The material is organized under topic headings such as parents who induce alienation, the child in PAS, the target/alienated parent, attorneys on PAS, and evaluation and intervention. Part 11 begins with the child in PAS. Case vignettes of moderate to severe PAS are presented in both parts, some of which illustrate the consequences for children and families when the system is successfully manipulated by the alienating parent, as well as some difficult but effective interventions implemented by the author, her husband Randy Rand, Ed.D., and other colleagues.
Parental Alienation Syndrome Homepage
This is a Canadian website devoted to information about PAS including many links to material available on the Internet. This site has a discussion group bulletin board for people affected by this situation so they can communicate with each other and express their feelings. Painful to read but certainly gives an insight as to how this affects real people and real families.
Parental Alienation Syndrome - Article by Dr. Reena Sommer
This is an article by Dr. Reena Sommer, a Winnipeg psychologist guided by the belief that children should not be denied a relationship with their parents simply because their moms and dads decide to divorce. Dr. Sommer is known for her research into domestic abuse but now spends much of her time involved in conducting brief therapy, consulting with lawyers and clients on PAS, and overseeing the management of a multidisciplinary group of family life professionals. Dr. Sommer's practice is directed toward helping families experiencing separation and divorce. Her goal is to assist divorcing couples explore options in restructuring their lives. This article is on her web site.
Family Wars: Parent Alienation Syndrome - Composite case from actual examples
This is an article by Peggie Ward, Ph.D. (a member of the Advisory Council of the Professional Academy of Custody Evaluators or PACE) and J. Campbell Harvey, J.D. It sets out a composite - or typical - PAS situation and discusses such things as the harm caused to the child, the various approaches which can be taken to this problem, what motivates alienation, how to recognize alienating behaviours and distinguish between "typical" divorce behaviour and alienation, as well as how to deal with various aspects of this. Well worth the reading. Informative and helpful.
The Emperor's New Clothes : Divorce Process & Consequence (Part 1)
The Emperor's New Clothes : Divorce Process & Consequence (Part 2)
This full length report, prepared just after the introduction in England in 1996 of the Family Law Act, this report "gives chapter and verse to the precise mechanisms through which the legal system itself has been wilfully and consciously used to destroy the institution of marriage, against the clear letter of the law and Parliament's stated intentions." The report gives a series of case studies and is quite strong on the injustices seen as existing against fathers. It comes from The Cheltenham Group, which "was established on 30 April 1994 by representatives from a numbers of men’s organizations, in order to establish a programme of initiatives to address the increasing marginalisation of men within the family through legal and social policy measures. The group is non party political and non sectarian but is explicitly committed to work for support for the conventional Judaeo-Christian view of marriage and the married family. The Group now speaks for the United Kingdom Men’s Movement on matrimonial and family policy." This is not a "politically correct" piece of writing.
Parents Who Have Successfully Fought Parental Alienation Syndrome
This is an article by Jayne A. Major, Ph.D. addresses the question "What can you do when one parent is intractable and vitriolic? What can you do when the child becomes caught up in the fight and takes sides?" Essentially the situation is gloomy for the target parent but Dr. Major gives various strategies to try as well as outlining how all of this affects the child. It's easy to read and sets out ideas about how to deal with PAS when you encounter it.
This article by the TEXAS FATHERS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS is a father's group's answer to Dr. Major's question. It provides a positive strategy for dealing with PAS and sets out a series of very worthwhile tips and observations. Very much worth reading if you are the target parent. It offers an upbeat guide through a what is an extremely troubling time and should be a help for parents caught in the PAS web. The article ends with this:
IDENTIFYING CASES OF PARENT ALIENATION SYNDROME
This is a two-part article appearing in the Colorado Bar Association's monthly publication THE COLORADO LAWYER, in February and March 1998, Vol. 27, No. 2 & 3. It was written by Leona M. Kopetski, MSSW who worked as a clinical social worker specializing in the field of custody evaluation, in addition to maintaining a private practice in psychotherapy. "Parental alienation cases pose a particularly difficult challenge to lawyers and mental health professionals attempting to help families negotiate divorce. The syndrome is seriously harmful to both children and parents. The articles are intended to help by providing clarifying criteria for identification.
Material Critical of Dr. Gardner
This is an article by Judith M. Simon which certainly is intended to throw a cold dose of water over the enthusiasts supporting Dr. Gardner and , presumably, challenge his views. While the article raises some very interesting questions about Dr. Gardner himself, it makes no attempt to deal with the credibility of those who have since written reports on the same problem he originally identified as parental alienation syndrome. I don't know much about Ms. Simon, or about the non-legal journals to which she refers, but her trivializing of the legal journals who have published articles by Dr. Simon, and from others on the same topic, certainly causes one to be suspicious about the approach she is taking.
In her own words:
The third category of Dr. Gardner's peer reviewed work consists of papers published in legal journals - Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, New Jersey Family Lawyer, and similar publications. At these journals, submitted articles are reviewed by plenty of really smart lawyers who understand psychology stuff, so I'm pretty sure they were able to separate the wheat from the chaff before publishing Dr. Gardner's sex abuse protocols ("Differentiating Between True and False Sex-Abuse Accusations in Child Custody Disputes"). With the seal of good housekeeping from places like the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, who needs the American Psychiatric Association!
Interestingly enough Ms. Simon leaves out reference to the journal COURT REVIEW, from the American Judges Association, and other responsible legal journals which have printed articles either by Dr. Gardner or by others giving credence to his views. Oh well, we all knew the good doctor was a controversial person.
LIZ Re: Gardner on: Compulsive Tree Planting Syndrome
This is found on the Liz Library website. It seems that "Liz" is actually Nick Seidenman and that you can find people as passionately and stridently opposed to the concept of PAS as some of those who support it. Read this critique for yourself to see how much of it there is with which you agree.
This site certainly puts forward as vigorous an anti-father's rights view as can be found on the Internet and has some very strong views against Dr. Gardner and his opinions regarding anything at all and PAS in particular. The Liz Library has articles from a variety of people putting forward opinions quite different from those set out above in the previous two sections of this web page. The Liz Library site is clearly concerned about gender politics and waging the fight against the "fathers' rights movement".
