Parental Alienation Syndrome or SAP is a set of symptoms in children when a parent uses different strategies. They transform the consciousness of children to prevent, obstruct, or destroy their links with the other parent.
This process is recognized as a dynamic in some divorced families. However, the existence of this syndrome has not been accepted by the World Health Organization (WHO) or by the American Psychiatric Association.
What are the signs of Parental Alienation Syndrome?
As we have mentioned previously, the rejection manifested by the minor has its origin in different behaviors that the alienating parent exhibits in their presence. Some of these behaviors or attitudes are:
- Belittling the other parent through negative comments, insults, and adjectives that ridicule and affect their image.
- Infusing lies in the minor about the other parent.
- Impose difficulties in the relationship between the minor and the other parent. That is, prevent communication, visits, or even coexistence.
- Not involving the other parent in those important decisions related to the education or health of the minor. This causes the minor to develop without reference to one of his parents.
- Reinforce attitudes of rejection by the minor towards the other parent.
- Include your family environment and friends in the offenses towards the other parent.
As a consequence of these behaviors, the minor frivolously and repeatedly rejects and criticizes the other parent. The criticisms are unjustified, dramatic, or exaggerated. Likewise, the minor speaks of the rejected parent in derogatory terms without expressing guilt or shame.
What is Means of Parental Alienation Syndrome?
It is interesting how often the minor’s speech and vocabulary are similar to those used by the alienating parent, with whom he or she shows affinity and union in any situation. Often this rejection extends to the family or environment of the same parent.
In this way, the minor suffers continuous emotional abuse that pressures him to think, feel, and act according to his parent (the alienator). Added to this is the unjustified denial of the right to have the support and affection of one of his parents and, therefore, the other half of his family.
Regardless of the debates surrounding PAS, it is evident that it is a problem that causes serious functional impairment at a behavioral, emotional, and cognitive level.
Therefore, since the superior legal good lies in the Superior Interest of the Minor (ISM), this phenomenon’s evaluation is of great importance.
Why Parental Alienation Syndrome is Matters?
The bond between the children and the alienated parent will be irretrievably destroyed. The bond between the child and the alienated parent cannot be rebuilt if there has been a gap of a few years.
For this reason, the expert psychologist, in his function of assisting the Court and issuing a means of evidence. The expert psychological report must know what is described under the entity of Parental Alienation Syndrome. It results in much less sentimental or social value than that which any child has and needs from their parents, that is, not they are proud of their father or mother like other children.
This is crucial to prepare the opinion that will serve the Judicial Organ as a guide to make the most convenient decision.