| Richard Gardner first coined the term | | | | Alienating parents can use many different |
| "Parental Alienation Syndrome" in 1985, but | | | | tactics to damage their child's view of his |
| the basic concept had been recognized and | | | | or her mother or father. They may ignore |
| given other names by many psychologists and | | | | custody arrangements and encourage the child |
| professionals who work with divorcing | | | | to do the same. They may similarly dismiss |
| families. PAS is an all too common problem | | | | rules or guidelines set down by the alienated |
| when couples are unhappy, in the process of | | | | parent. They may threaten the child with some |
| divorcing, during a remarriage and during | | | | kind of consequence for contacting or |
| other times of family upheaval. | | | | spending time with their mother or father. |
| | | | They may even encourage the child to insult, |
| PAS occurs when one parent consistently | | | | aggravate or file false charges against the |
| insults, belittles and denigrates the other | | | | alienated parent. |
| parent in front of the couple's children. It | | | | |
| can also mean one parent treating an | | | | PAS is not officially recognized as a mental |
| ex-spouse's new partner or spouse in the same | | | | disorder by the American Psychological |
| way. The parent who is doing the | | | | Association. But it has been taken into |
| rumor-spreading and insulting is known as the | | | | account by judges during child custody |
| alienating parent. The parent who is | | | | disputes. Other judges, however, have |
| receiving this unfair and hurtful treatment | | | | declined to consider it, citing a lack of |
| is known as the alienated parent. | | | | empirical evidence. There is also a concern |
| | | | that claims of PAS can be misused by abusive |
| The goal of the alienating parent is to | | | | parents whose exes are right to keep their |
| destroy their child's relationship with the | | | | children away from them. This creates a |
| alienated parent. Over time, the child's view | | | | complicated psychological and legal |
| of the alienated parent can be severely | | | | controversy. Some people do use their |
| affected. They may disrespect or disregard | | | | children against their spouses or exes, and |
| their mother or father, and may eventually | | | | this should not be overlooked during divorce |
| come to loathe them and want them out of the | | | | proceedings. However, judges should be |
| child's life completely. PAS is basically | | | | careful not to be taken in by false claims of |
| using one's child as a weapon to hurt one's | | | | abuse. |
| current or former partner. It is form of | | | | |
| child abuse, and can have long-lasting | | | | For more information about child custody |
| psychological effects on both the child and | | | | disputes and family law, contact Boca Raton |
| the person he or she has been alienated from. | | | | divorce attorneys Eric Klein and associates. |
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