Generally, Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child-custody disputes. PAS may be defined as one parent’s deliberate attempt to distance his or her children from the other parent and destroy the bond of affection that exists between the child and the target parent. Because child custody battles tend to be more acrimonious than other family law matters, it may be hard initially to determine if conduct is simply the result of parents being overprotective or if those actions fall into the realm of parental alienation. Below is a list outlining warning signs of parental alienation:
Warning signs of Parental Alienation Syndrome
- Asking the child to choose one parent over the other.
- Letting the child choose whether to visit with the other parent, regardless of the court ordered parenting time schedule.
- Refusing to be flexible with the visitation schedule or over-scheduling the child with activities so the other parent is prevented from exercising parenting time.
- Using a child to spy or secretly gather information for the parent’s own use.
- Telling the child details about the breakdown of the marital relationship or reasons for the divorce.
- Disparaging or peaking badly about the other parent directly to the children.
- Exposing the children to the details of the parents’ ongoing conflict, financial problems and legal proceedings
- Denying the other parent access to school or medical records and the child’s activity schedules.
- Blaming the other parent for money problems, splitting up the family, or having a girlfriend or boyfriend.
- Encouraging the child’s anger or resentment toward the other parent.
- Reacting with hurt or sadness to a child having a good time with the other parent.
- Making demands of the other parent that are contrary to court orders.
- Listening in on the child’s phone calls with the other parent.
Although PAS has never been considered in depth by Georgia case law, Georgia law is very clear that a parent should not be permitted to undermine the other parent’s relationship with the child. Thus, any action taken by one parent resembling the warning signs listed above may be grounds for a court to reconsider child custody and parenting time. It is also important to note that Parental Alienation Syndrome is not recognized by the American Psychological Association. Consequently, evidence of it, such as expert testimony, may not be admissible at trial. Mauldin v. Mauldin, 322 Ga. App. 507 (2013).