PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Johnston, JR TI - Parental alignments and rejection: an empirical study of alienation in children of divorce DP - 2003 Jun 01 TA - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online PG - 158--170 VI - 31 IP - 2 4099 - http://jaapl.org/content/31/2/158.short 4100 - http://jaapl.org/content/31/2/158.full SO - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law2003 Jun 01; 31 AB - This study of family relationships after divorce examined the frequency and extent of child-parent alignments and correlates of children's rejection of a parent, these being basic components of the controversial idea of "parental alienation syndrome." The sample consisted of 215 children from the family courts and general community two to three years after parental separation. The findings indicate that children's attitudes toward their parents range from positive to negative, with relatively few being extremely aligned or rejecting. Rejection of a parent has multiple determinants, with both the aligned and rejected parents contributing to the problem, in addition to vulnerabilities within children themselves.