The Five-Factor Model for the Diagnosis of Parental Alienation
Although the phenomenon that we know as parental alienation (PA) had been described in the mental health and legal literature for many years, it was given its name—parental alienation syndrome—by Richard Gardner in 1985. As time went on, most writers abandoned the use of the word syndrome and simply referred to this mental condition as parental alienation. The defini- tion of PA is a mental state in which a child—usually one whose parents are engaged in a high-conflict separation or divorce—allies strongly with one parent (the favored parent) and rejects a relationship with the other parent (the alienated parent) without a good reason. Of course, it is a major loss for a child to experience the removal of a parent from their life in that manner. The purposes of this commentary are to explain definitions and distinctions related to PA; describe the Five- Factor Model (FFM) for the identification of PA; and offer clinical, legal, and training implications stemming from an understanding of PA.
It is important to distinguish PA from parental alienating behaviors (ABs). PA refers to the behaviors and signs man- ifested by the alienated child; ABs refer to the activities of the alienating parent that contribute to the child’s rejection of the alienated parent. Thus, the alienating parent is the parent who is indoctrinating or influencing the child to fear or reject the other parent. On the other hand, the alienated parent is the parent that the child refuses to visit or communicate with.
Another difference between PA and ABs is their preva- lence. ABs are very common; many divorced parents engage in ABs to some degree, such as bad-mouthing the other parent and interfering with the other parent’s time with the child. However, PA occurs less frequently. Harman et al.1 reported that more than 30% of parents in the United States described being the target of multiple ABs, while only 1.3% of parents described being moderately or highly alienated from a child. Many children are exposed to ABs, but only a few develop PA.
Although the words parental alienation are not in DSM- 5 or International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11), the concept of PA is found in those manuals. In DSM-5, there are 3 diagnoses that can be used when PA has been identified in a child or a family. For example, the diagnosis child affected by parental relationship distress can be used in cases involving PA. Other diagnoses, such as parent–child relational problem and child psychological abuse, may also be used in cases involving PA. Likewise, with regard to ICD-11, the diagnosis of caregiver–child relationship problem can be used.
