Family courts are increasingly hearing a strange diagnosis. A child fiercely hates the father, although he never hit, insulted, or forgot birthdays. Where does such hatred come from? Psychologists say it's the Parental Alienation Syndrome. Lawyers whisper: the mother has manipulated. Judges frown: prove it. Then an expert assessment for the Parental Alienation Syndrome is ordered. What is this beast, how do they catch it, and can we trust it? Let's dig deeper. What is the Parental Alienation Syndrome The term was coined by American psychiatrist Richard Gardner in 1985. He noticed that in divorce proceedings, some children without objective reasons start to hate one of the parents. The child is not just upset; he demonizes the father or mother, attributes unsaid atrocities to them, refuses to meet, rejoices if the parent is sick or suffering. The cause is systematic processing by the second parent. The mother (rarely the father) instills in the child: "the other parent is an enemy, he is dangerous, he doesn't love you, he wants to kidnap/kill/abandon you." A child, especially under 12, cannot critically evaluate this information. He absorbs it as truth. A false picture of the world is formed. A key distinction from real abuse: in the Parental Alienation Syndrome, there are no facts of abuse. There are no beatings, threats, or neglect. There is only instilled fear and hatred. And the main tool of alienation is the second parent, who manipulates the child. Why is an expert assessment for the Parental Alienation Syndrome needed In court, two positions clash. The father says: "the child has been manipulated." The mother says: "he is afraid of the father because he is cruel." Who is right? The judge is not a psychologist. He cannot peek into the child's mind. A specialist is needed. The expert assessment for the Parental Alienation Syndrome is intended to answer three questions: Are there signs of the Parental Alienation Syndrome in the child? If there are, who is the ali ... Read more