Alienation Dynamics: Uses and Abuses

Stephen E. Doyne, Ph.D.

Definition
 

Alienation/Alignment is a misunderstood concept that surfaces in many divorce and custody disputes Basically, the child is estranged from one parent ostensibly due to overt and/or covert behavior by the other parent There is no agreement upon:
    

Whether parental alienation syndrome (PAS) exists a la Gardner A definition of alienation/or alignment Data on the frequency of occurrence Causes Effects on children

Occurrence


In divorce, alienation accusations typically surface when children:

   

Resist or refuse visitation on a consistent basis Exhibit post-visitation behavior that indicates the target postparent is being maligned by the other Children express extreme loyalty to one parent PAS is often embraced by fathers rights advocates as an explanation for why children resist contact

In the alternative, alienation is often used as a defensive strategy by perpetrators in domestic violence and sexual abuse cases

Parental Alignments and Rejection: An Empirical Study of Alienation in Children of Divorce Johnston (2003)


Examined the frequency and extent of child-parent alignments childand correlates of childrens rejection of a parent Sample consisted of 215 children from the family courts two to three years after separation Childrens attitudes towards their parents range from positive to negative with relatively few being extremely aligned or rejecting Reject in of a parent has multiple determinants, with both aligned and rejected parents contributing to the problem, in addition to vulnerabilities with the children themselves

Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 2003, Vol 31 (2) 158 - 170

Evidentiary Issues with Parental Alienation Syndrome Ziragiannis (2001)



Expert testimony on unsubstantiated social science syndromes such as PAS has been increasingly admitted in court rooms across the U.S. Problem: trier of fact is making a determination based upon theories that are inaccurate or incorrect To remedy this, the standards of admissibility for expert testimony must be heightened

Family Court Review 2001 Vol 39 (3) 34-343 34-

Assessing for Alienation in Child Custody and Access Evaluations Lee and Olesen (2001)


By integrating interview and psychological test data of parents and children along with collateral information, the evaluator can differentiate an alienated child from a rejected child Evaluations should look at multiple contributions to alienation rather than only one source

Family Court Review 2001 Vol 39 (3) 282-298 282-

The Alienated Child: A re-Formulation of reParental Alienation Syndrome

Kelly and Johnston (2001)


ReRe-formulation of the alienated child is proposed, rather than parental alienation Contributing factors are multiple:
    

Intense marital conflict Humiliating separation Parental personalities and behaviors Protracted litigation Professional mismanagement

These factors are understood in the context of a childs capacities and vulnerabilities
Family Court Review 2001 Vol 39 (3) 249-266 249-

Parental Alienation Syndrome: Myths and Realities

Faller, K.C


(1998) The Parental Alienation Syndrome: What it is and what data support it? Child Maltreatment, 3,(21), 100 - 115

Faller, K.C


None of the research supports Gardners opinion that the vast majority of allegations in divorce are false, p. 107 PAS is a nondiagnostic syndrome

Bruch (2001)


Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting It Wrong in Child Custody Cases. 2001. Family Law Quarterly 35(3), 527527-552

Bruch (2001)


Gardner vastly overstates the frequency of cases in which children and custodial parents manufacture false allegations or collude to destroy the parent-child relationship. parent-

American Psychological Association



Violence and the Family (1996)

American Psychological Association



Although there are no data to support the phenomenon called parental alienation syndrome, in which mothers are blamed for interfering with their childrens attachments to their fathers, the term is used by some evaluators and courts to discount childrens fears in hostile and psychologically abusive situations p.40

American Psychological Association



In this context, the nonviolent parent may be at a disadvantage, and behavior that would seem reasonable as a protection from abuse may be misinterpreted as a sign of instability p.100

Misdiagnosis of Parental Alienation Syndrome Warshak (2002)



PAS causes controversy because, during a custody conflict, the label is applied indiscriminately to children who reject a parent regardless of the type of rejection or the reasons for it Poses three typologies, rather than PAS:


Children who are not alienated but resist spending time or exhibit hostility toward a parent Children who resist becoming alienated despite one parents denigration of the other Children who are truly alienated, but not caused by the favored parents influence

Kelly (2001) prefers the name child alienation rather than PAS as it is in the youngster who is estranged or aligned

Domestic Violence:Traumatic Bonding & Best Interests



Apparent bonding between perpetrators and their children, battered or not, explained by traumatic bonding. Occurs when intermittent maltreatment patterns produce strong emotional attachments.
(Dutton, 1995)

This is reason many battered spouses stay in abusive relationships. Similarly, children may appear emotionally close to violent parent because they are afraid of them Children can exhibit alienation from a victimized parent based upon fear of retribution from a perpetrator

Case Example: Parental Alienation

 

 

Reunification therapy is ordered by the Court of 10-year old son 10and 12-year old daughter and their father 12No contact for three months mother says father was never there for the children and they do not want to see him Mother alleges father was violent with her and the children Father says mother has alienated the children and he was always involved in their care Mother and childs therapist support her beliefs that the children want no contact until they are older and can decide for themselves

Conclusion
 

 

Alienation dynamics can greatly affect childrens emotions and behaviors, but These behaviors may not accurately reflect how children really feel about a parent In both therapy and evaluation cases, dont hesitate to request special assessments Follow ethical and Court guidelines and the Standard of Care Consult with colleagues, when necessary Observation can be a powerful tool, but always use multiple sources of data Everything works, and nothing works