The Eight Symptoms of PAS are :
- The child is aligned with the alienating parent in a campaign of denigration against the target parent , with the child making active contributions.
- Rationalizations for deprecating the target parent are often weak, frivolous or absurd.
- Animosity toward the rejected parent lacks the ambivalence normal to human relationships.
- The child asserts that the decision to reject the target parent is his or her own, what Gardner calls the “independent thinker” phenomena.
- The child expresses guiltless disregard for the feelings of the target parent.
- Borrowed scenarios are present ie. the child’s statements reflect the themes and terminology of the alienating parent.
- Animosity is spread to the extended family and others associated with the hated parent.
Whilst Gardner’s “typology” is a useful evaluative tool it is probably best used as a guide to analysis and judgement. How many of these features must be present to establish the syndrome remains an unanswered question - confounded further by the suggestion that PAS operates on a continuum from mild to severe. Exactly where the cut off point between mild/severe alienation to full blown PAS is not clear.
“Alienation Revisited” Mr Paul Lodge - Acting Manager, Counselling, FCOA, Sydney
- The child is aligned with the alienating parent in a campaign of denigration against the target parent , with the child making active contributions.
- Rationalizations for deprecating the target parent are often weak, frivolous or absurd.
- Animosity toward the rejected parent lacks the ambivalence normal to human relationships.
- The child asserts that the decision to reject the target parent is his or her own, what Gardner calls the “independent thinker” phenomena.
- The child expresses guiltless disregard for the feelings of the target parent.
- Borrowed scenarios are present ie. the child’s statements reflect the themes and terminology of the alienating parent.
- Animosity is spread to the extended family and others associated with the hated parent.
Whilst Gardner’s “typology” is a useful evaluative tool it is probably best used as a guide to analysis and judgement. How many of these features must be present to establish the syndrome remains an unanswered question - confounded further by the suggestion that PAS operates on a continuum from mild to severe. Exactly where the cut off point between mild/severe alienation to full blown PAS is not clear.
“Alienation Revisited” Mr Paul Lodge - Acting Manager, Counselling, FCOA, Sydney