The Relationship Between the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) and the False Memory Syndrome (FMS)

Abstract

The parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is primarily a disorder of childhood. The false memory syndrome (FMS) is a disorder of young adults, primarily women. They share in common a campaign of acrimony against a parent. It is the purpose of this article to describe both the similarities and the differences between these two disorders. It is the author's hope that this information will prove useful to those who work in both realms because information about either disorder can be useful for understanding the development, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with the other.