Abstract

MAIDA S, Ana Marrgarita; HERSKOVIC M, Viviana  and  PRADO A, Bernardita. Parental alienation syndrome. Rev. chil. pediatr. [online]. 2011, vol.82, n.6, pp. 485-492. ISSN 0370-4106.  doi: 10.4067/S0370-41062011000600002.

Parental Alienation Syndrome is characterized by the presence of a campaign of denigration towards a previously loved parent, which is done by instigating unjustified fear and hatred in the course of a divorce custody battle. In this campaign one parent instills resentment in the child, and is successful when the child itself directly shuns the accused parent. The resentment in the child extends towards the family of the accused parent. The syndrome arises in the absence of actual abuse, which would justify the child's rejection. Pediatricians have access to their patients' family crisis and are in a special stance to acknowledge it. The parental alienation syndrome is a form of emotional child abuse and both psychological assessment and multidisciplinary intervention are required to stop it. In this article we provide an update on parental alienation syndrome and was motivated by the authors' intervention in clinical cases where this diagnosis was posed.

Keywords : Parental alienation; divorce; child abuse.