The parental alienation debate belongs in the courtroom, not in DSM-5

J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2012;40(1):127-31.

Abstract

The DSM-5 Task Force is presently considering whether to adopt parental alienation disorder (PAD) as a mental illness. Although controversy has surrounded PAD since its inception in 1985, pro-PAD groups and individuals have breathed new life into the push to establish it as a mental health diagnosis. In this analysis, we argue that it would be a serious mistake to adopt parental alienation disorder as a formal mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child Custody / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*
  • Expert Testimony / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Persuasive Communication
  • Reactive Attachment Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Reactive Attachment Disorder / psychology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Social Alienation / psychology*
  • Syndrome