Thursday, September 6, 2007

Parental Alienation Syndrome

Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is described as
“a disturbance in which children are obsessively preoccupied
with depreciation and/or criticism of a parent.
In other words, denigration that is unjustified and or exaggerated.”
Joan T. Kloth, Masters Student quoting Dr. Richard Gardner



Can't help wondering...
Why we fail to notice so many kinds of insidious child abuse? As with "Parental Alienation Syndrome!" We know that exposure to spousal physical violence causes stress for children, and causes symptoms of abuse in them. But how many other children are suffering from an onslaught of verbal attacks by one parent against the other parent? And suffering the consequencences. Kloth's aritcle shines a bright light on the subject. Her emphasis is on separated parents but I've seen many cases of this behavior within two-parent homes.
You can read Joan T. Kloth's article on Peter Burns' Blog.

Take care....Be Aware
Nancy Lee

1 comment:

Damara Lee said...

I have been part of Parent Alienation Syndrome. My older children ages 23 and 25 were raised by ther father and paternal grandmother because I was in the military and had lost custody of my children due to a short tour overseas which had been noted as "abandonment." (Military members are protected now by the Soldier Sailors Act) I paid my child support until the youngest one turned 21. Both girls were subject to the comment "You're just like your mother." As punishing words from their father. It hurt 20 years ago, it still hurts today, although I am blessed today that I have a relationship with my daughters.

Don't turn your children against the absent parent, it hurts the children as much as it hurts the absent parent.