Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting it Wrong in Child Custody Cases

34 Pages Posted: 9 Feb 2002

See all articles by Carol S. Bruch

Carol S. Bruch

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: Fall 2001

Abstract

As courts and legislatures continue their enthusiastic ventures into family law reform, they make frequent use of theories and research from the social sciences. This essay focuses on developments in child custody law stemming from "Parental Alienation Syndrome" (PAS), a theory propounded in 1985 by Richard Gardner, M.D. that became widely used despite its lack of scientific foundations. The discussion highlights theoretical and practical problems with PAS, provides a similar review of more recent proposals labeled "Parental Alienation" (PA), and concludes with recommendations for lawyers and judges who must evaluate these and similar developments.

Suggested Citation

Bruch, Carol S., Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation: Getting it Wrong in Child Custody Cases (Fall 2001). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=298110 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.298110

Carol S. Bruch (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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