In addition to the excellent reformulation in the Kelly/Johnston article
that Robert Simon cites, a very informative article from the same Journal in
2005 by DR. Robert Emery specifically demonstrates how Gardner¹s formulation
of a ³syndrome² doesn¹t meet even the most minimal scientific standard
except as a hypothesis. The abstract for the article follows, but please
read the whole article to see how he demonstrates the points.
See:
Proponents Bear the Burden of Proof
Robert E. Emery
Family Court Review, Volume 43, Issue 1, Page 8-13, Jan 2005
(free to AFCC members....if you are not a member and you are interested in
CP and family law, you should be a member!)
Abstract:
Richard Gardner claimed to be able to diagnose parental alienation among
contentious parents disputing custody, and asserted that his "syndrome" is
supported by scientific and legal authority. Despite influencing many
custody proceedings, Gardner's ideas fail to meet even minimal scientific
standards. The burden of proving any new hypothesis falls on its proponents,
and given the complete absence of objective replication, parental alienation
syndrome (PAS) must be viewed as nothing more than a hypothesis. The lack of
clear guidance in the law allows concepts like PAS to gain temporary
credibility, as judges look to mental health professionals for help in
making decisions under the vague best interests standard.
If it hasn¹t been ³put to bed² after reading this article, I think the
reader ³ain¹t in the bedroom²!
Jim Musante
CP coach and trainer
Robert A. Simon, Ph.D.9/13/07 1:47 PM
I quite agree that the matter has not been put to bed. Indeed, what I
wrote was an attempt to explicate some of the discussion around the
issue.
--- In CollabLaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:CollabLaw%40yahoogroups.com> , Gary
Direnfeld <gary@...> wrote:
been put to bed.
Thanks for the reply and input Robert.
Notwithstanding, I stand by my representation of the issues.
PAS continues to be debated in academic circles. The matter has not
life. He is in private practice (Interaction Consultants), writes and
Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW
Interaction Consultants and I Promise Program Inc.
20 Suter Crescent,
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
L9H 6R5
(905) 628-4847
gary@...
Parenting: www.yoursocialworker.com
Teen safe driving: www.ipromiseprogram.com
Gary Direnfeld is a social worker and expert on matters of family
provides workshops and is the developer of the "I Promise Program" -
teen safe driving initiative. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider Gary
an expert on child development, parent-child relations, marital and
family therapy, custody and access recommendations, social work and an
expert for the purpose of giving a critique on a Section 112 (social
work) report. His opinion helps resolve child custody and access matters.
assessment critiques and workshops. Search his name on GOOGLE.COM to
Gary's services include counselling, mediation, assessments,
view his many articles or go directly to his website:
www.yoursocialworker.com where you can view his CV, read his many
articles and view video clips of his many television appearances.
article
Thanks for making us aware of your new articles. I'd like to respond to
your article on "Parental Alienation Syndrome". I worry that your
workingserves to entrench some concepts and ideas that are highly problematic.
While I hope that in Collaborative cases concerns about one parent
place,to actually "alienate" children from the other parent does not take
pointmany of us who are Collaborative professionals encounter these cases in
other areas of our professional work.
The article states that "the use of that phrase (parental alienation
syndrome) remains a politically debated hot potato...". I'd like to
work ofout that the debate is NOT political. The debate is scientific and
conceptual and the conceptual debate is important. The construct of
parental alienation as a "syndrome" is rooted in the now discredited
conceptualRichard Gardner, M.D. who understood PAS as something that results from
psychopathology in the "alienating" parent. In their influential and
important article, Joan B. Kelly and Janet R. Johnston offer a
than thereformulation of the construct with the focus on the child rather
controversies"alienating parent". The reference for this article is below
Joan B. Kelly, Janet R. Johnston (2001)
THE ALIENATED CHILD:A Reformulation of Parental Alienation Syndrome
Family Court Review 39 (3), 249266.
Quoting from the abstract of their article: "In this article,
refuseand problems with parental alienation syndrome are discussed. A
reformulation focusing on the alienated child is proposed, and these
children are clearly distinguished from other children who resist or
humiliatingcontact with a parent following separation or divorce for a variety of
normal, expectable reasons, including estrangement. A systemic array of
contributing factors are described that can create and/or consolidate
alienation in children, including intense marital conflict, a
litigation, andseparation, parental personalities and behaviors, protracted
context ofprofessional mismanagement. These factors are understood in the
rooted inthe child's capacities and vulnerabilities."
Clearly then, it is possible to see how children's resistance to contact
with a parent can derive from numerous sources, many of which are
outmoded andfamily dynamics, the child's specific needs and temperament and parental
personalities.
I am particularly worried about the various programs that offer
"reunification" of children with an "alienated parent" due to the way in
which these programs themselves are rooted in a conceptually
that theylinear understanding of alienation. Indeed, there is no scientific data
that suggest that such reunification programs are successful, that they
don't in and of themselves expose children to even more trauma and
mention orare likely to be of assistance to the children. I worry that any
rooted indiscussion of these programs without clearly articulating how they are
potentially dangerous and without clearly explaining how they are
told, weGardner's model of alienation runs the risk of providing the reader with
information that is ultimately not in line with current thinking and
understanding of what "alienated" children experience. Truth be
children.know precious little about how to effectively intervene with these
Robert A. Simon, Ph.D.
Clinical and Forensic Psychology
Collaborative Practice
www.dr-simon.com
3636 Fifth Avenue
Suite 201
San Diego, CA 92103
619.220.7680
fax: 619.220.7682
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