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, 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
assessment critiques and workshops. Search his name on GOOGLE.COM to
Gary's services include counselling, mediation, assessments,
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
serves to entrench some concepts and ideas that are highly problematic.working
While I hope that in Collaborative cases concerns about one parent
to actually "alienate" children from the other parent does not takeplace,
many of us who are Collaborative professionals encounter these cases inpoint
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
out that the debate is NOT political. The debate is scientific andwork of
conceptual and the conceptual debate is important. The construct of
parental alienation as a "syndrome" is rooted in the now discredited
Richard Gardner, M.D. who understood PAS as something that results fromconceptual
psychopathology in the "alienating" parent. In their influential and
important article, Joan B. Kelly and Janet R. Johnston offer a
reformulation of the construct with the focus on the child ratherthan the
"alienating parent". The reference for this article is belowcontroversies
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,
and problems with parental alienation syndrome are discussed. Arefuse
reformulation focusing on the alienated child is proposed, and these
children are clearly distinguished from other children who resist or
contact with a parent following separation or divorce for a variety ofhumiliating
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
separation, parental personalities and behaviors, protractedlitigation, and
professional mismanagement. These factors are understood in thecontext of
the child's capacities and vulnerabilities."rooted in
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
family dynamics, the child's specific needs and temperament and parentaloutmoded and
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
linear understanding of alienation. Indeed, there is no scientific datathat they
that suggest that such reunification programs are successful, that they
don't in and of themselves expose children to even more trauma and
are likely to be of assistance to the children. I worry that anymention or
discussion of these programs without clearly articulating how they arerooted in
potentially dangerous and without clearly explaining how they are
Gardner's model of alienation runs the risk of providing the reader withtold, we
information that is ultimately not in line with current thinking and
understanding of what "alienated" children experience. Truth be
know precious little about how to effectively intervene with thesechildren.
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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