Family courts are increasingly hearing a strange diagnosis. A child hates their father fiercely, although he has never hit, insulted, or forgotten birthdays. Where does this hatred come from? Psychologists say it's the Parental Alienation Syndrome. Lawyers whisper: the mother has brainwashed. Judges frown: prove it. Then, an expert evaluation for the Parental Alienation Syndrome is ordered. What is this creature, how do they catch it, and can we trust it? Let's dig deeper.

What is Parental Alienation Syndrome

The term was coined by American psychiatrist Richard Gardner in 1985. He noticed that in divorce proceedings, some children without objective reasons start to hate one of the parents. The child is not just upset; they demonize the father or mother, attribute unsaid atrocities to them, refuse to meet, and even rejoice if the parent is sick or suffering.

The cause is systematic brainwashing by the second parent. The mother (rarely the father) instills in the child: "the other parent is an enemy, they are dangerous, they don't love you, they want to kidnap/kill/abandon you." A child, especially one under 12, cannot critically evaluate this information. They absorb it as truth. A false picture of the world is formed.

A key distinction from real abuse is that in Parental Alienation Syndrome, there are no facts of abuse. There are no beatings, threats, or neglect. There is only instilled fear and hatred. And the main tool of alienation is the second parent, who brainwashes the child.

Why is an expert evaluation for Parental Alienation Syndrome needed

In court, two positions clash. The father says: "the child has been brainwashed." The mother says: "he is afraid of the father because he is cruel." Who is right? The judge is not a psychologist. They cannot look into the child's mind. A specialist is needed. The expert evaluation for the Parental Alienation Syndrome aims to answer three questions:

Does the child have signs of Parental Alienation Syndrome? If so, who is the alienating parent (who brainwashes)? Is the rejection of the second parent justified (i.e., was he really cruel) or unjustified (i.e., brainwashing)?

Without an evaluation, the court risks accepting instilled fear as real and depriving an innocent parent of their rights. Or, conversely, not noticing real abuse, deciding it's "just syndrome." The evaluation is a scalpel that separates these two situations.

How does the evaluation proceed

The procedure is long, from two weeks to several months. The expert commission usually consists of a child psychologist, psychiatrist, and sometimes a sociologist. They study the case materials, medical records, school characterizations, and correspondence between the parents.

Then comes work with the child. One-on-one conversations, drawing tests, storytelling by photos. The expert observes how the child reacts when mentioning the alienated parent (the one they hate). Do their pupils dilate? Do they raise their voice? Do they use adult, memorized phrases that they cannot come up with themselves ("you are a psychological abuser" in the mouth of an eight-year-old)?

They separately interview both parents. Compare their versions of events, look for contradictions. The expert may conduct a test on the child's suggestibility and critical thinking. In particularly complex cases, they use video recordings of the child's meetings with each parent separately and analyze their behavior.

The result is a written conclusion. In it, the experts give an answer: is there a syndrome or not, who is the alienating and who is the alienated. And most importantly, recommendations to the court: leave the child with the alienated parent, limit communication with the alienating, appoint therapy.

Methods and criteria for diagnosis

There is no universal "detector" for the syndrome. However, experts highlight eight classic signs (by Gardner) that are analyzed collectively:

Campaign of defamation: the child constantly curses the alienated parent, invents fairy tales. Weak, concocted rational explanations: when asked "why do you not love your dad?", the child answers "he didn't buy ice cream" or "he insulted mom", which is disproportionate to the hatred. Lack of ambivalence: the child either loves the alienating parent or hates the alienated. A healthy child experiences a mix of feelings even towards a bad parent. The phenomenon of an independent thinker: the child swears that no one has brainwashed them, they have thought of everything themselves. And they use adult, memorized phrases. Automatic support for the alienating parent: in any dispute, the child takes the side of the alienating parent, even if they are obviously wrong. Lack of guilt for cruelty to the alienated parent: the child may rejoice in their illness or misfortune without a trace of shame. Presence of borrowed scenarios: the child repeats stories that they could not have seen (for example, "dad hit mom" although he lived in another country at that time). Enmity extends to the family of the alienated parent: the child hates not only the dad but also his parents, sisters, even pets.

If the child has 5 out of 8 signs, there is a high probability of Parental Alienation Syndrome. The expert also evaluates the absence of real abuse: checks documents, interviews third parties, studies medical certificates.

Difficulties and criticism of the evaluation

Parental Alienation Syndrome is not an official diagnosis in international classifications of diseases (ICD-11) and DSM-5. It is included in ICD-11 as "Parental Alienation Syndrome" in the section of factors affecting health, but not as a mental disorder. This is enough to use it in court, but not enough to order forced treatment.

Critics say the evaluation is subjective. One psychologist may see the syndrome, another may see real trauma. There are no objective biomarkers or MRI scans. Moreover, the accusation of "brainwashing" can be used as a weapon against truly受损 mothers and fathers. The abuser says in court: "It's not me who beat my wife, it's her who caused the child's Parental Alienation Syndrome."

Therefore, courts approach the evaluation cautiously. It is an important but not the only evidence. A combination is needed: witness testimony, audio- and video recordings, conclusions from child protection agencies.

Who conducts the evaluation and how much does it cost

The evaluation is ordered by the court. At the request of one of the parties. It can be conducted by state expert institutions (for example, the Center for Judicial Expertise named after Serbsky) or private organizations with a license. The cost in Russia is from 50 to 300 thousand rubles depending on complexity, the number of interviewed, and the region. The term is from 1 to 6 months.

The party that ordered the evaluation pays. Most often, it is the father, as he is interested in proving brainwashing. If the court orders the evaluation on its own initiative, the payment may be from the budget (rarely) or divided between the parties.

An important nuance: the expert must have a specialization in family disputes and the Parental Alienation Syndrome. A regular child psychiatrist may not know the methods. Therefore, before making a request, study the expert's resume, ask them if they have conducted such evaluations before, how many there were, and whether there was a judicial precedent.

How to prepare for the evaluation for the father

If you believe that your child is being brainwashed, act proactively. Gather evidence before the court. Record conversations with the mother where she threatens to brainwash the child on a dictaphone (where the law allows). Save correspondence in messengers. Record cases where the mother has unreasonably prevented communication.

Hire a lawyer specializing in PAS (Parental Alienation Syndrome). They will help draft a competent application for an evaluation and suggest a specific expert organization they trust.

The most important thing is not to provoke yourself. If the child is rude, shouts, hits during a meeting - do not respond with aggression. Record it on camera. Calmly leave if the situation gets out of control. Your task is to show the expert that you are not dangerous, that you have no cruelty. And provocations by the mother will only confirm that there is brainwashing.

Remember: the evaluation is a stress for the child. The child may lie to the expert, may cry, may accuse you. Do not pressure. Trust the professionals.

What can be done if the evaluation shows brainwashing

The gold standard for treating Parental Alienation Syndrome is changing the child's place of residence to the alienated parent and temporarily limiting communication with the alienating. Yes, paradoxically: to restore the child's ability to love both parents, they need to be taken away from the brainwasher.

Parallel to this, family therapy is appointed: a psychologist works with the child, with both parents separately, and then together. The goal is to destroy false beliefs, restore healthy attachment. Therapy can last a year and longer.

In Russia, courts rarely go to such a radical measure as transferring the child to the alienated parent. Usually, forced visits to a psychologist and an obligation for the alienating parent "not to hinder communication" are appointed. But if the brainwashing is proven and is severe (the child has not seen the father for a year, the mother has changed the child's surname, hides their place of residence), then the transfer of guardianship is possible. There is a practice, but it is rare.

Abroad, it is stricter. In the US, Israel, Brazil, the alienating parent can be deprived of guardianship, sentenced to prison (for disrespect of the court) or sent to a rehabilitation program. There are also precedents in Europe, although less often.

Can the evaluation be appealed

Yes. The expert's conclusion is not the final truth. The judge evaluates it on an equal footing with other evidence. If you believe that the evaluation was carried out poorly (the expert was interested, used incorrect methods, did not consider facts of real abuse), file a motion for a re-evaluation. In another commission.

If the court refuses to order a re-evaluation, appeal the decision in an appeal, indicating violations. You can also invite an independent expert to review the conclusion. This is not a substitute for an evaluation, but the court may consider their opinion as a consultation.

It is important: it is difficult to appeal an evaluation if it was conducted in a state institution with a long-standing reputation. It is easier to appeal a private evaluation, especially if you find violations of the format.

The future of the evaluation for Parental Alienation Syndrome

Interest in PAS is growing. In 2026, a bill is being prepared in Russia to include the concept of "psychological abuse through alienation" in the Family Code. If it is adopted, the evaluation for the Parental Alienation Syndrome will become mandatory in cases where there is a dispute over children. This will reduce the number of judicial errors and force manipulators to answer.

Also, computer methods for analyzing the child's speech for memorized phrases and emotional coloring are being developed. It is possible that in a couple of years, we will see AI assistants for experts who will accurately indicate the signs of brainwashing.

But the main thing will remain unchanged: the evaluation is a tool, not a verdict. In the hands of an honest expert, it protects children from manipulation. In the hands of an biased one - it can break a life. Therefore, choose a specialist as carefully as a surgeon. And remember: behind every conclusion is a living child who wants to love both mom and dad. Even if they say the opposite now.
© library.ug

Permanent link to this publication: