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September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 1
Parental Alienation International Connecting you with worldwide developments in Parental Alienation
from the Parental Alienation Study Group
Table of Contents September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 3 Editorial
Why Don’t They Understand? 4 Parental Alienation News
PASG Members Participate in Recent and Upcoming Events
AFCC Call for Proposals
Parental Alienation News Roundup
6 In Memoriam Doug Darnell, Parental Alienation Pioneer By Amy J. L. Baker
Feature Articles 7 Presentations Set for PASG 2017
October international conference to address education, research, and legal/advocacy issues.
10 Launch of The European Association of Parental Alienation Practitioners By Karen Woodall New association will provide a membership and regulatory body for practitioners who are working directly with parents and children affected by parental alienation and will work to establish standards of practice.
13 “Erasing Family” Documentary In Production
By Christiane Foerster
Film focuses on children who suffer and entire families that are erased.
14 Just Published: Two Important Articles on “Splitting”
By William Bernet, M.D. Papers arrive at the same conclusion although the authors base their conclusions on different research methodologies.
15 Information Sheet about PASG The document can be used as a handout or simply distributed to individuals who want to learn more about PASG and/or parental alienation.
pasg
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 2
Book Review 17 Parental Alienation Luso-Brazilian Journal
By Abe Worenklein, Ph.D., Book Review Editor A Portuguese-Brazilian partnership was formed to disseminate technical information and knowledge on the subject of parental alienation through a quarterly journal.
19 Books/Book Reviews 19 Announcements
19 About PASG 20 Contributor Guidelines
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
– Margaret Mead
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 3
Editorial Why Don’t They Understand? IT DOESN’T TAKE AN ADVANCED DEGREE in psychotherapy to understand parental alienation. One parent, usually but not always in the context of a divorce, decides to harm the other parent through a systematic campaign of alienating the child or children against that parent. If the alienating parent is successful, the targeted parent will be heartbroken and the child/children terribly hurt by the rupture of the loving relationship between the targeted parent and the children. Members of PASG know that this scenario plays out with frightening predictability every day. They also know that an informed clinician can spot the signs without much difficulty. The clinician can forecast the tactics that the alienating parent will use next in conducting this terrifying campaign of family destruction. Despite the seeming ease of understanding PA, getting family and friends of the targeted parent to realize what is going on can be difficult. Among the reasons for their disbelief: They can’t imagine that the alienating parent is really acting so horribly. After all, they
have been to family functions in the past where he or she seemed perfectly reasonable. They can’t get their minds to register that this person has the capacity and desire to act outside the normal lines of human decency and family bonds.
They blame the targeted parent. They believe that the targeted parent must have done something wrong to have the parent’s child reject him or her so thoroughly. “There are two sides to every story,” they wrongly rationalize.
They blame the children if the alienating behavior persists. Once a child reaches a certain age, say 18, they believe that the child bears some responsibility for the continuing alienation and must somehow also be at fault. They get angry at the child and feel that there is something “wrong” with him.
Importantly, each of these three misperceptions aims the direction of accountability away from the alienating parent. The alienating parent is thus aided in his ability to stay hidden and unaccountable for his egregious actions. To members of PASG, this is not news. But to those who are unfamiliar with parental alienation, understanding – and believing – the twisted dynamics that characterize PA depend on a long process of persistence and stamina on the part of those who would have them understand. In this issue, on page 15, you’ll find a Parental Alienation information sheet. This is an excellent tool to help educate almost any audience. We need more such tools of all types. In October, we will come together at our first annual conference in Washington, DC. On page seven you’ll find a lineup of excellent sessions and on page nine you’ll find a registration page. Come join those who are dedicated to pursuing prevention and treatment of parental alienation – those who are helping everyone to understand. Louis Pilla, Managing Editor, [email protected]
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 4
Parental Alienation News
PASG Members Participate in Recent and Upcoming Events Parental alienation is frequently a topic
at national and international conferences
for psychologists, psychiatrists, social
workers, and other mental health and
legal professionals. Many PASG
members participate and make
presentations regarding parental
alienation at these events. If you know
about an upcoming event involving
parental alienation and/or PASG, please
contact [email protected].
VI Congresso Nacional Alienação
Parental and the IV Congresso
Internacional Alienação Parental Belo
Horizonte, Brazil
August 17-18, 2017
PASG member José Vera Gómez made a
presentation. This was a major
conference regarding parental alienation
in South America, with participants
mainly from Brazil but also from
Portugal, Argentina, and Paraguay.
International Conference on
Adolescent Medicine and Child
Psychology
Berlin, Germany
September 28-29, 2017
PASG member Catherine MacWillie is
presenting a provocative topic, “Crime,
Court, and Parental Alienation.”
Nebraska Judicial Branch Education
Omaha, Nebraska
October 11, 2017
PASG members Amy Baker is
presenting the keynote address on
“Parental Alienation: What It Is and
What To Do About It.”
First International Conference of
PASG
Washington, DC
October 21-23, 2017
See additional information regarding
PASG2017 in this issue of PAI. To
register, contact
American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry Annual
Meeting
Washington, DC
October 23-28, 2017
PASG members Amy J. L. Baker and
William Bernet are presenting in a
clinical perspective called “Child
Psychological Abuse: An Old Concept, a
New Diagnosis.” Also, several child and
adolescent psychiatrists from Louisiana
are moderating a special interest study
group called “Understanding Parental
Alienation.”
Regional Conference of Association of
Family and Conciliation Courts
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 2-4, 2017
PASG members Demosthenes Lorandos
and William Bernet will present a
workshop, “Daubert Hearing Regarding
Parental Alienation: Do or Die.” There
are several other presentations regarding
parent-child relational problems, high-
conflict families, parental gate-keeping,
domestic violence, negotiation and
mediation strategies, and parent
coaching.
Annual Conference of Association of
Family and Conciliation Courts Washington, DC
June 6-9, 2018
PASG members may want to submit
proposals for 90-minute workshops. The
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 5
deadline for submissions is October 2,
2017.
Conference of European Association
for Forensic Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry
Venice, Italy
June 20-22, 2018
PASG member William Bernet is
presenting a keynote address, “Parental
Alienation: An Update Regarding DSM-
5 and ICD-11.” PASG members in Italy
may want to submit proposals to the
program committee for that meeting.
Second International Conference of
PASG
Stockholm, Sweden
August 24-25, 2018
This meeting is being organized by
PASG member Lena Hellblom Sjögren.
European Association of Parental
Alienation Practitioners
London, United Kingdom
August 30-31, 2018
This meeting is being organized by
PASG member Karen Woodall.
AFCC Call for Proposals PASG member Phillip Hendrix has brought
to our attention that the Association of
Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) is
accepting proposals for 90-minute workshop
sessions for the AFCC 55th Annual
Conference, “Compassionate Family Court
Systems: The Role of Trauma-Informed
Jurisprudence, “June 6-9, 2018, at the
Washington Hilton Hotel.
The Call for Proposals asks: Can an
understanding of trauma be integrated into
court culture - and should it be? How does a
trauma-informed approach impact dispute
resolution, investigation, decision making,
and other core functions of family court
professionals? Proposals must be received
by October 2, 2017 and submitted using this
online form:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AFCCWa
shingtonDCProposalForm
Parental Alienation News Roundup Here is a synopsis of a recently published
news item.
Michigan bill would require equally
shared parenting. State House
Representative Jim Runestad has proposed
new legislation that aims for a more equally
shared parenting experience, according to an
item on Fox News 17 West Michigan.
Among the conditions that would remove
the equal time presumption are “refusals to
cooperate and parental alienation.” Runestad
also notes that many lawyers and judges
don’t want the current system changed
because it would reduce the amount of
money extracted from families contesting
for custody of their children.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 6
In Memorium
Memories of Parental Alienation Pioneer, Doug Darnall By Amy J. L. Baker
WE HAVE THE SAD NEWS TO SHARE with
PASG members that our friend and colleague Doug
Darnall passed away on July 19, 2017. According to
the newspaper obituary, Doug graduated from Chula
Vista High School in California, attended San Diego
State, and received his Ph.D. from Kent State
University. Doug was the C.E.O. of PsyCare for 27
years. Doug is survived by his wife, his brother, two
daughters, and two granddaughters.
As most of you probably know. Doug was a pioneer
in the field of parental alienation. His 1998 book
Divorce Casualties was one of the first books in the
field and provided much needed confirmation to
many targeted parents that what they were going
through was real. His categorization of the three types
of alienating parents (naive, active, and obsessed) is
an oft-cited classification that resonated with many
targeted parents as well as professionals who came
into the field later.
In addition to being a steadfast advocate for knowledge and understanding about parental
alienation, Doug was truly a decent and intelligent person. Many of us who were colleagues of his
will remember his even temper, good cheer, and kind support. On a personal note, Doug was one
of the first people I worked with in the field, and I will always fondly remember that he treated
me with the utmost respect and consideration even though he was much more established than I
was. I enjoyed collaborating with him, learning from him, and sharing our ideas together. Doug
will surely be missed and he will surely be remembered.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 7
Feature Articles Presentations Set for PASG 2017
October international conference to address education, research, and legal/advocacy issues.
THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PASG will occur October 21-23, 2017, in
Washington, DC. Our purpose is to share professional activities and develop a strategic plan for
(1) educational programs for mental health practitioners, trainees, and the general public, (2)
research regarding the causes, diagnosis, and interventions for parental alienation, and (3) the
topic of parental alienation in legal settings and advocacy regarding parental alienation with state
and national legislatures.
Program Topics
Day One – Saturday, October 21
THEME FOR DAY ONE: Education of Mental Health Professionals and the General Public
MODERATOR FOR DAY ONE: Lena Hellblom Sjögren, Ph.D. ([email protected])
“Social Media for Parental Alienation Awareness and Education”
“Educational Needs Identified during Reunification Training”
“Some Nordic Voices about Parental Alienation”
“Educational Programs for Professionals”
Panel Discussion: ”A Targeted Parent’s Perspective on Parental Alienation
Education”
Report from the Committee for Public and Professional Accountability
Day Two – Sunday, October 22
THEME FOR DAY TWO: Research Regarding Parental Alienation
MODERATOR FOR DAY TWO: James S. Walker, Ph.D. ([email protected])
“Overview of Current Research on Parental Alienation: Where the Science is and
Where It’s Headed”
“Parental Alienation Evaluations: Methods and Modalities”
“Toward a Social Phenomenological Perspective on Parental Alienation: A Research
Project”
“Better Options Initiative: Program, Research, and Future Directions
“Is There a Test for Parental Alienation?”
Panel Discussion: “Interventions with Severely Alienated Children and Adolescents”
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 8
Day Three – Monday, October 23
THEME FOR DAY THREE: Parental Alienation in Legal Settings
MODERATOR FOR DAY THREE: Demosthenes Lorandos, Ph.D., J.D.
“Thirty Years of Parental Alienation Cases in the U.S. Courts”
“How Courts Struggle with Hearing the Voice of the Child”
“Law Enforcement and Parental Alienation”
“Trial Strategy with Parental Alienation Cases”
Panel Discussion: “The Role of Guardians ad litem, Parenting Coordinators, and
Custody Evaluators”
Schedule and Accommodations
The conference will occur at the Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C.
The Cosmos Club is a private social/literary/scholarly organization that makes available
accommodations for members and their guests. Morning events will occur from 8:00 a.m. to
12:00 noon. Afternoon events will occur from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30. With regard to meals, a
complimentary breakfast will be available for participants who stay overnight at the Cosmos
Club; lunch will be served to participants on Saturday and Monday. Otherwise, participants will
make their own plans for lunch (on Sunday) and dinner either at the Cosmos Club or in the
neighborhood. The venue is within easy walking distance of Connecticut Avenue and Dupont
Circle, an interesting, vibrant area of Washington, D.C.
Room reservations can be made by contacting
[email protected]. First, it is
necessary to register for the conference using
the attached form. The registration fee is
$100. Complete your registration as soon as
you can. A list of registrants will be
forwarded to the front desk of the Cosmos
Club. Registrants can look at the Cosmos
Club website (www.cosmosclub.org), select a
room (starting at about $200 per night), and
contact the front desk to make the reservation
and provide billing information. Note that the block of rooms will only be held until September
15! Also, several hotels are nearby, within one block of the Cosmos Club: The Fairfax at
Embassy Row, The Baron Hotel, and the Embassy Row Hotel.
The Cosmos Club has a dress code, which means coat and tie for men for most activities in the
public areas of the building.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 9
REGISTRATION FORM
First International Conference of Parental Alienation Study Group October 21-23, 2017 – Washington, D.C., United States
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Address:
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Name of Accompanying Person:
Is the Accompanying Person attending the conference?
_____ Yes (must pay registration fee) _____ No (no registration fee)
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Register and pay nonrefundable registration fee by MAIL or by EMAIL:
MAIL: Send this form and a check made out to Parental Alienation Study Group
($100 for each registrant) to:
William Bernet, M.D.
1313 Twenty-first Avenue South
209 Oxford House
Nashville, TN 37232
EMAIL: (1) Send this form to [email protected]. (2) Go to the PASG
website (www.pasg.info) and use the Make-a-Donation button to send funds ($100 for
each registrant) through PayPal. Use the option that says “Write a note” to indicate that
you are registering for this conference. This method will be more convenient if you are
using currency other than U.S. dollars.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 10
Launch of The European Association of Parental Alienation Practitioners
New association will provide a membership and regulatory body for practitioners who are working directly with parents and children affected by parental alienation and will work to establish standards of practice which are known to be effective
By Karen Woodall, Director of Therapeutic Services at the Family Separation Clinic, London,
U.K. www.familyseparationclinic.co.uk.
THE LAUNCH OF THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION
OF PARENTAL ALIENATION PRACTITIONERS took
place in Prague on July 11, 2017. It was attended by 23
practitioners from 14 EU countries with one delegate
joining by telephone. The meeting demonstrated the
shared interest and values of those who are working
directly with alienated children and their families and
agreement across a number of areas for development was
easily reached.
Introduced by Bill Bernet, President of the Parental
Alienation Study Group, the meeting heard about the way
in which parental alienation is anchored in scientific evidence. For those who work with families
in the court process, this was an important presentation which strengthens the understanding of
the way in which challenges to the research can be readily met.
The meeting also heard from Professor Gordana Bhulan Flander, the Director of the Child and
Youth Protection Centre in Zagreb. Professor Flander is also Child Protection consultant to
UNICEF and a Council of Europe expert. Discussing the way in which the work of the Child
Protection Centre of Zagreb has incorporated training from the Family Separation Clinic into
their own delivery of services to alienated children and their families, Professor Flander discussed
the many challenges to practice in this field along with the way in which the mental health
intervention must interlock with the legal framework in each country. Professor Flander’s work,
in a multi disciplinary team, is a model of practice which is replicable in many EU countries.
Ongoing work to examine the links between the legislative framework and the delivery of
interventions for alienated children is planned.
Stemming from UK
The vision for a European Association of practitioners in the field of parental alienation stems
from the experience of working with families in the UK, where practicing in ways which properly
liberate children from the problem of alienation can create risk for practitioners. Currently in the
UK, the concept of parental alienation is becoming more accepted but the treatment routes for
assisting children are strongly constrained by the institutionalized lack of understanding about
how to treat the problem. Additionally, because the UK Family Courts operate in virtual
anonymity, interventions which are delivered by practitioners are not open to scrutiny. This
means that claims of expertise in the field of parental alienation can be made by many, including
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 11
those who treat all cases of a child’s unjustified rejection of a parent as always being the fault of
both parents.
Discussing the situation in other EU countries, it is clear that the problem of treating parental
alienation in ways that properly liberate the child is one which causes much concern amongst
practitioners. The purpose of EAPAP, therefore, is to standardise understanding of the problem of
parental alienation and regulate practice which is demonstrated to work effectively. Leading on
from this is a membership body which will properly protect practitioners who are undertaking
such work and training and supervision for existing and emerging practitioners. It is this which
will ensure that new practitioners will feel able to undertake the work safely, rather than
delivering services to families which tinker around the edges of what is required in order to
remain safely within the practice remit of existing governing bodies.
This field of work is without doubt both difficult and dangerous for practitioners, particularly in
light of the United Nations Rights of the Child legislation with its focus upon the voice of the
child. Many practitioners across Europe are having to undertake work with alienated children in
the shadow of the increased focus upon ensuring that children have their rights upheld. When
working with children who are already overempowered by an alienating parent’s coercion in a
broken family attachment system, treading the line between restoration of authority and
responsibility for the child and upholding the child’s legislative rights can become a nightmarish
task.
One of the work programs for EAPAP is to deliver training to
ancillary services in each member country to raise the
awareness of those who work with children in divorce and
separation of the risks to children of alienation and the harm
it causes to them over the longer term. A key starting point is
focusing upon the ways in which the wishes and feelings of
alienated children are different to those of children who are
not influenced or coerced by a parent. For many working in
family services in the UK, for example, there is the belief that
there is no difference at all between a child’s wishes and their feelings. This ignores the reality
that for alienated children, their wishes are the expression of the influencing parent’s feelings
about the other parent, whilst their feelings of warmth and normal attachment to a parent have
been silenced by the inculcation of the influencing parental schema. Unpicking this in training to
ancillary staff, allows practice with alienated children which restores the attachment relationship
by working with the unspoken feelings of a child, instead of their expressed wishes. Teaching
others how to work with the signs and symbols of alienation and how it unwinds in a child is a
critical part of the groundwork for EAPAP in its first three years of work.
The European Association of Parental Alienation Practitioners brings together a number of people
who have already proved their strength and commitment to the wellbeing of children in their own
country. This powerful group of people are already used to influencing and changing legislation
as well as developing new services and strategies to assist children. Along with Professor Flander,
the group was joined by Dr. Simona Vladicka from Romania, where parental alienation is
criminalized, bringing another layer of experience and expertise to the early days of this new
association.
Planning for first conference
EAPAP is now developing the necessary structures for a membership and regulating body and a
training and supervision process. The goal is to have this completed in 12 months, so that by the
EAPAP has big dreams and
strong visions of the time
when parental alienation
will be properly recognized
as the serious mental health
problem it is in all EU
countries.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 12
time the association holds its first major conference in London next year, the membership scheme
will be open and the training and supervision provision will be ready to support that. This will
provide an immediate capacity for new practitioners to be trained and supported in an
environment which protects and safeguards from the external pressures which cause anxiety and
stress when working in this field.
By providing security for practitioners and training for ancillary staff across Europe and by
drawing upon the successful work of its founder members, EAPAP aims to create a platform
which encourages best practice in working with alienated children and their families and which
raises awareness of the problems that alienation causes for children. Our aim is to be bold and to
do what works for alienated children; our vision is a world where the problems caused for
children through divorce and separation are properly recognized so that we can uphold the United
Nation Rights of the Child Article 8 and enable children to enjoy the peace of an unconscious
childhood via their right to family life.
The European Association of Parental Alienation Practitioners will hold its first major conference
on August 30/31st next year at the Royal School of Medicine in central London. Hosted by the
Family Separation Clinic in conjunction with EAPAP, the conference will be addressed by Amy
J.L. Baker PhD amongst many leading academics and practitioners in the field. Alongside mental
health experts, leading people in the judiciary from several EU countries will be present and the
focus of the conference will be on the mental health and legal interlock which is necessary to
properly resolve parental alienation. Parts of this conference will be streamed live around the
world to practitioners and parents who cannot attend in person.
EAPAP has big dreams and strong visions of the time when parental alienation will be properly
recognized as the serious mental health problem it is in all EU countries. Working together brings
strength and courage and the capacity to achieve much in a short time. With the high energy of its
members and work already underway in all areas of development, we aim to create dynamic
change for alienated children and their families everywhere.
EAPAP will provide a membership and regulatory body for practitioners who are working
directly with parents and children affected by parental alienation and will work to establish
standards of practice which are known to be effective. EAPAP will also provide training and
accreditation for practitioners and a supervision scheme. In addition EAPAP will provide
accredited training to ancillary staff in each member country via member
organisations, delivering standards of training which are curated through the best practice in each
EU country and translated to fit with the different legislative frameworks seen across Europe.
EAPAP affiliates its work with the Parental Alienation Study Group and seeks to support
discussion and debate within a framework of recognition of international standards of knowledge
and practice already curated by leading academic figures in this field.
EAPAP will additionally research and develop new practice with families and will make
informed contributions to the literature to support development of practice and thinking in this
field.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 13
“Erasing Family” Documentary In Production
Film focuses on children who suffer and entire families that are erased.
By Christiane Foerster, Dipl. Psych, Würzburg, Germany, [email protected]
Editor: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
THE FILM “ERASING DAD” FOCUSED on the fight of fathers
in Argentina to see their children after divorce. “Erasing
Family” now will show how mothers and fathers can be
erased.
The “Erasing Family” team is the same one behind the
previous film “Erasing Dad” (Borrando a papá, Argentinia
2014): Ginger Gentile (Director), Gabriel Balanovsky
(Producer), Julie Janata (Executive Producer) and Sandra
Fernández Ferreira (Writer). Their personal stories motivated
them to make Erasing Family.
“Erasing Dad” is a feature documentary film that follows six fathers who were fighting to raise
their children after a divorce and features interviews with professionals who admit, on camera,
that they‘ll do everything possible to keep children and fathers separated.
More than a documentary, “Erasing Dad” was also a fathers’ rights movement. The team has
conducted more than 50 television, radio and print interviews. Their activities are changing the
debate about parental alienation not only in Argentina but also around the world. Families have
been reunited after their children or the judges involved in their cases viewed the film. Even
attempts to censor the film (it was removed from YouTube numerous times and theaters were
pressured not to show it) have not prevented the filmmakers from raising awareness and turning
frustrated families into activists.
For that reason, they have decided to keep filming and make “Erasing Family,” which will be a
truly international documentary with stories from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Latin
America. The focus will be on the children who suffer and entire families that are erased.
“Erasing Family” will investigate family bond obstruction from multiple perspectives: parents
alienated from their children; siblings who can’t see each other; and grandparents who have never
met their grandchildren. The protagonist talks with researchers and professionals who work to
reunite families. The team will also investigate those who work to keep families apart.
“Erasing Family” is the first international documentary aimed at young adults to encourage them
to reunite with their erased families. The film will be attractive to young people, many of whom
are victims but do not realize the impact of being denied loving relationships has had in their
lives.
“Erasing Family” and its accompanying awareness campaign will encourage schools, politicians
and court officials to respond to this growing public health crisis.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 14
The team filmed 25 interviews about groundbreaking research on how to make divorce healthier
for families at the International Conference on Shared Parenting in Boston May 29-30.
Find more information at www.erasingfamily.org.
Just Published: Two Important Articles on “Splitting” The papers arrive at precisely the same conclusion although the authors base their conclusions on different research methodologies By William Bernet, M.D., President, Parental Alienation Study Group
THE PHENOMENON OF SPLITTING has been considered an important
aspect of parental alienation syndrome (PAS) since the concept was
introduced and defined by Richard Gardner in 1985. Gardner said that
“lack of ambivalence” was one of the eight primary symptoms of PAS.
Gardner knew that children and adolescents perceive their parents
ambivalently, i.e., they would say that each parent has strong points and
weak points. However, children who experience PAS perceive their parents in an all-or-nothing
fashion, i.e., totally good or totally bad. In other words, children with PAS lack ambivalence.
Instead, these children manifest splitting, such that they greatly idealize the alienating parent and
greatly devalue the target parent.
In the last 30 years, many authors have commented that splitting is a key feature of parental
alienation (PA). In recent weeks, two important articles have been published that address the
topic of splitting in PA. In May 2017, Alan M. Jaffe, Melanie J. Thakkar, and Pascale Piron
published “Denial of Ambivalence as a Hallmark of Parental Alienation.” That article constitutes
qualitative research, in that it reviews the topic of ambivalence and uses a clinical case to
illustrate lack of ambivalence.
In August 2017, William Bernet, Nilgun Gregory, Kathleen M. Reay, and Ronald P. Rohner
published “An Objective Measure of Splitting in Parental Alienation: The Parental Acceptance-
Rejection Questionnaire.” That article constitutes quantitative research, in that it shows
statistically that a particular psychological instrument is highly accurate in identify cases of
severe PA. Both articles have been posted in the Documents section, which is found in the
Members Only part of the website, www.pasg.info.
In their article, Jaffe et al. stated, “This paper is a review and integration of established
ambivalence and parental alienation theory incorporating clinical examples. … The expressed
lack of ambivalence as manifested by the alienated child serves as an observable defining
characteristic of the presence of parental alienation. The understanding of this phenomenon
provides predictive criteria for clinicians and forensic experts to establish or rule out the existence
of parental alienation in clinical and forensic settings with implications for treatment and custody
recommendations.”
In a similar vein, Bernet et al. stated, “The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of
the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) in identifying and quantifying the
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 15
degree of splitting, which may assist in diagnosing parental alienation. Results showed that
severely alienated children engaged in a high level of splitting, by perceiving the preferred parent
in extremely positive terms and the rejected parent in extremely negative terms. Splitting was not
manifested by the children in other family groups. The PARQ may be useful for both clinicians
and forensic practitioners in evaluating children of divorced parents when there is a concern about
the possible diagnosis of parental alienation.”
Thus, these two papers arrived at precisely the same conclusion – that lack of ambivalence or
splitting is a highly reliable marker of PA – although the authors base their conclusions on
different research methodologies. There is another interesting difference between the two
articles. In their review of the literature, Jaffe et al. discussed the topic ambivalence and how
various authors have used that term. On the other hand, Bernet et al. focused on the term splitting
and its evolving definition over time as well as attempts to measure splitting quantitatively. The
literature reviews overlap to some extent, but also diverge in interesting ways. These two papers
– published almost simultaneously – are like fraternal twins. They complement each other in
important ways, and both of them contribute to the burgeoning body of research that supports the
reality of PA.
Information Sheet About PASG PASG members may find the brief write-up on the following page helpful when they attend
meetings or other events. The document can be used as a handout or simply distributed to
individuals who want to learn more about PASG and/or parental alienation. This
information sheet can also be found in the Documents section of the Members Only part of
the website. On the website, go to MEMBERS ONLY section, then to DOCUMENTS, then
to “PASG – General Information, 2017-08.”
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 16
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 17
Book Review
Parental Alienation Luso-Brazilian Journal By Abe Worenklein, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Secretary PASG and Book Review Editor,
Montreal, Canada
I was quite pleased to that the Parental Alienation Luso-Brazilian Journal has been “alive and
well” since 2013 when a Portuguese-Brazilian partnership was formed to disseminate technical
information and knowledge on the subject of parental alienation through a quarterly journal. The
Journal has a 15-member scientific committee overseeing and involved in the Parental Alienation
Luso-Brazilian Journal.
The purpose of the Journal is to provide a means for individuals to learn about parental alienation
and to provide study and research as well as working tools in a journal having a multidisciplinary
perspective and providing information regarding parental alienation from professionals in
different disciplines, including law, social work, psychology, medicine, parental mediation,
family therapy and sociology.
The goal of the journal is to “represent the altruistic desire and willingness to contribute to
information sharing and knowledge, in order to a better law application, as well as, to grant the
system of study, work and research tools.” Only articles subjected to peer review by a scientific
committee are to be included in the journal with the goal of helping professionals who deal with
parental alienation as well as any parents who try to obtain a better understanding as to how
children are alienated as well as the best methods for intervention.
The editors note that unfortunately parental alienation is a “growing phenomenon, in which there
are no winners, but mostly victims and those who suffer most are children since they are the
centerpiece of parental conflict.” Parental alienation is included as a form of psychological and
emotional abuse, whose serious consequences on the children have been documented not only in
terms of cheating the children out of their childhoods but also in terms of the serious
consequences of parental alienation on such children as they grow up.
The editors of the Journal are quite clear that not only do acts of parental alienation seriously
violate the dignity of the child, but also the right to freedom of affection in violation of the
European Convention on Rights of the Child because it “destroys, disrupts, demoralize(s) and
discredit(s)” the parent child bond.
The journal is quite clear that “the more information about parental alienation that is available,
the greater are the chances for being able to identify and differentiate alienation from
estrangement and put professionals in a better position as to how to deal with such alienation in a
therapeutic context.”
I did find it quite interesting to compare the “exercise of parental responsibilities in the event of
divorce…” and particularly, “The court always decide in accordance with the child's best
interests, including that of [emphasis added] maintaining a close relationship with both
parents, promoting and accepting agreements or making decisions that favor broad
opportunities for contact with both and sharing of responsibilities between them.”
In addition, “in shared parenting,
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 18
“the convivial time with the children should be divided in a balanced manner with
the mother and father, always taking into account the factual circumstances and the
interests of the children”, and
“the city considered the children(‘s) home base will be the one that best serve(s) the
interests of the children”.
Readers can access all editions http://revistaalienacaoparental.webnode.pt
Parental Alienation Database Available An extensive parental alienation database developed by PASG members and previously published as part of Parental Alienation: The Handbook for Mental Health and Legal Professionals is now available online to the public through the Eskind Biomedical Library at Vanderbilt University.
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 19
Books and Book Reviews
Please contact Abe Worenklein, Ph.D.,
Book Review Editor, Montreal, Canada.
Announcements
Media Editor Needed for PAI
Your newsletter, Parental Alienation
International, continues to develop and
expand thanks to your increasing readership
and interest. We want to keep bringing you
more in-depth news, articles, analyses, and
discussions about parental alienation. To this
end, we need more volunteer help to
supplement our regional editors in the form
of a Media-graphics-photo editor. If you
are interested in this role, contact Editor-in-
Chief, Stan Korosi.
About the Parental Alienation Study Group (PASG)
Mailing address 1313 Twenty-First Avenue South
209 Oxford House
Nashville, TN 37232
Who Are We? Parental Alienation Study Group, Inc.
(PASG) is an international, not-for-profit
corporation. PASG has roughly 350
members – mostly mental health and legal
professionals – from 43 countries. The
members of PASG are interested in
educating the general public, mental health
clinicians, forensic practitioners, attorneys,
and judges regarding parental alienation.
PASG members are also interested in
developing and promoting research on the
causes, evaluation, and treatment of parental
alienation.
Board of Directors William Bernet, M.D., President
Nashville, Tennessee
Abe Worenklein, Ph.D., Secretary
Montreal, Canada
Demosthenes Lorandos, Ph.D., J.D.,
Treasurer
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Amy J. L. Baker, Ph.D.
New York, New York
Wilfrid von Boch-Galhau, M.D.
Würzburg, Germany
J. Michael Bone, Ph.D.
Winter Park, Florida
Lena Hellblom Sjögren, Ph.D.
Siljansnäs, Sweden
Editor-in-Chief Stan Korosi. M. Couns. Hs.
Melbourne, Australia
www.dialogueingrowth.com.au
Managing Editor Louis Pilla, MSEd
King of Prussia, PA, USA
Editorial Team Docteur Roland Broca
Editor: France and French-speaking
Countries Paris, France
http://deficienceintellectuelle.tumblr.com
parlonspsy.20minutes-blogs.fr
September 2017 Volume 2, Issue 5 20
Christiane Foerster, Dipl. Psych
Editor: Germany, Austria, and
Switzerland
Würzburg, Germany
Lena Hellblom Sjögren, Ph.D.
Editor: Sweden and Scandivania
Siljansnäs, Sweden
Asun Tejedor, Ph.D
Editor: Spain and Latin America Mieres (Asturias), Spain
www.dialogogabinetepsicologico.com
Book Review Editor Abe Worenklein, Ph.D., Secretary
Montreal, Canada
Contributor Guidelines
How to contribute: Please send
all your contributions to your local editor or
to the editor-in-chief.
Format: Submit manuscript as a Word file
(.doc, .docx ) as an email attachment.
Style: news, case studies, pilot studies,
literature reviews, announcements, research,
research studies or proposals, advocacy,
publicity, promotion, requests for support or
funding.
Copyright: All rights reserved. PASG 2017
Editorial Policy: PASG seeks to lead and
promote the scholarly discussion and debate
concerning Parental Alienation practice,
research, education and advocacy to
promote development of informed practice
and policy in this field.
Articles may be subject to editing. Authors
will be consulted and will be sent their final
article for proofing and approval prior to
publication.
The editorial team may solicit information
and articles for publication and will
appropriately consult contributors about the
article to be prepared based upon their
contribution.
Contributors may submit articles or links to
articles that are already published or
considered elsewhere. It is the responsibility
of contributors to obtain the necessary
permission where required to submit their
article to Parental Alienation
International and to appropriately
acknowledge prior publication.
The PASG retains the final decision of the
suitability of articles and which articles are
selected for publication in Parental
Alienation International.
Advertising and Editorial
PASG will maintain differentiation between
advertising content and editorial content.
Parental Alienation International will not
publish 'advertorial' material.
Copyright © 2017 Parental Alienation Study
Group (PASG) Inc. All rights reserved. You
are receiving this newsletter because you are
a member of PASG.