Recognizing Parental Alienation

Parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is a childhood disorder that arises most often in the context of child custody disputes. It is manifested by a child's denigration against a parent without justification. It results from the combination of brainwashing, a parent's indoctrination and the child's own contributions to the vilification of the target parent. When parental abuse and/or neglect is present, the child's animosity may be justified, so an explanation of PAS for the child's hostility is not applicable.

Indications of Alienation

This is a list of behaviors and symptoms which may be present in cases of parental alienation:

•      Allowing children to believe that visitation is optional, even though the schedule already was set by a court order.
•      Disclosing details about the marriage or breakup of the marriage to the children.
•      Refusing to allow children to transport their belongings between parents' homes.
•      Failure by one parent to allow the other parent access to the children's medical or academic records.
•      One parent blaming the other for familial problems.
•      One parent refusing to be flexible with the parenting time.
•      Encouraging a child to choose one parent over the other.
•      The child becoming exceptionally angry with one parent.
•      A parent or stepparent raises questions about changing the child's name or openly discusses adoption of the child.
•      Children being unable to express why they are angry with a parent.
•      One parent having secrets, special signals, private rendezvous or words with special meaning to communicate with the child.
•      Use of the child to spy on or gain information about the other parent.
•      Giving the child temptations that have the effect of interfering with visitation.
•      One parent acting upset if the child expresses pleasure about spending time with the other parent.
•      One parent asking the child about the other parent's personal life.
•      A parent will physically or emotionally rescue the child when there is no threat to the child's safety.