Parental Alienation: Psychological 'Syndrome' or 'Junk Science'?

Parental alienation is a phrase heard (and used) by matrimonial attorneys as much as “narcissist.” Indeed, almost every consultation includes allegations of parental alienation and/or narcissism. Rarely, are both, if either, truly present. To be sure, divorce litigants do awful things to each other—and children—in the context of matrimonial litigation, but allegations of parental alienation are serious and can have a significant impact on the case. There are several “camps” of parental alienation advocates and detractors. There are the “true believers” who believe that parental alienation is a condition (Dr. Richard Gardner, for example, called it “syndrome” or PAS); others recognize that parental alienation exists in a larger construct of the “best interests” factors; and others believe it is junk science.

Dr. Amy J.L. Baker, PhD, is in the “true believer” camp; she is a frequent author, lecturer, expert, and coach on issues surrounding parental alienation. According to her website, https://www.amyjlbaker.com, parental alienation is “the overall problem of children being encouraged by one parent—the favored parent—to unjustly reject the other parent—the targeted parent.” Ibid. She writes that parental alienation occurs in the form of “seventeen strategies” that fall within five categories: “(1) poisonous messages to the child about the targeted parent in which he or she is portrayed as unloving, unsafe, and unavailable; (2) limiting contact and communication between the child and the targeted parent; (3) erasing and replacing the targeted parent in the heart and mind of the child; (4) encouraging the child to betray the targeted parent’s trust; and (5) undermining the authority of the targeted parent.” Ibid. Baker’s alienation strategies are:

1. Badmouthing
2. Limiting Contact
3. Interfering with Communication
4. Interfering with Symbolic Communication
5. Withdrawal of Love
6. Telling Child Targeted Parent Does Not Love Him or Her
7. Forcing Child to Choose
8. Creating the Impression that the Targeted Parent is Dangerous
9. Confiding in Child
10. Forcing Child to Reject Targeted Parent
11. Asking Child to Spy on Targeted Parent
12. Asking Child to Keep Secrets from Targeted Parent
13. Referring to Targeted Parent by First Name
14. Referring to a Stepparent as “Mom” or “Dad” and Encouraging Child 
15. Withholding Medical, Academic, and Other Important Information from Targeted Parent/ Keeping Targeted Parent’s Name off of Medical, Academic, and Other Relevant Documents
16. Changing Child’s Name to Remove Association with Targeted Parent
17. Cultivating Dependency