gms | German Medical Science

GMS Journal for Medical Education

Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA)

ISSN 2366-5017

Parental Alienation Syndrome: prevention of paediatrician's unconscious contribution

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  • corresponding author Ursula Kodjoe - Family Therapist and Mediator, Court Appointed Evaluator in High Conflict Family Cases, Gundelfingen, Germany

GMS Z Med Ausbild 2007;24(4):Doc170

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/journals/zma/2007-24/zma000464.shtml

Eingereicht: 25. September 2007
Überarbeitet: 25. September 2007
Angenommen: 1. Oktober 2007
Veröffentlicht: 14. November 2007

© 2007 Kodjoe.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Abstract

Parental Alienation Syndrome refers to a disturbance whose primary manifestation is a child’s unjustified campaign of denigration against, or rejection of one parent due to the influence of the other parent combined with the child’s own contributions. The rejection is unjustified and no reasonable response to the behaviour of the alienated parent’s behaviour and to the formerly loving relationship between parent and child. The alienation and loss of contact between the target parent and the child occurs during parental separation and divorce with one parent denying access to the other parent often with the (unconscious) support of judicial, medical and social institutions.

The manipulation of children against one parent is widely regarded as emotional abuse and parental exploitation of the child (Clawar & Rivlin, Kopetski, Kelly & Johnston).

It is of crucial importance for paediatricians to evaluate the child’s family situation being caught in the middle of high conflict between parents about custody and visitation rights.

The primary caretaking parents often approach their paediatrician reporting the child’s reaction after visiting the other parent: they do not see the behaviour as a normal farewell reaction, they seek to enter into an alliance with the paediatrician and ask for attestations against further contacts with the other parent. Unfortunately too many paediatricians issue those papers and thus contribute to the loss of contact between a formerly loving and beloved parent.