Commentary: Use of the term “parental alienation” may be part of the problem

Abstract

This comment with regard to Mercer’s article entitled, “Rejecting the Idea of Rejection as a Measure of Parental Alienation,” raises and explains the issue as to why the use of language is so important when deconstructing a nonscientific study that Mercer has done so well. This Commentary explains how the language put forth in unscientific articles may mislead the reader into accepting the language as accurate and why it would be important to deconstruct rather than accept the language used by the proponents of “parental alienation.” The supposed study Mercer critiques needed to be deconstructed.

Keywords:

• Abuse
• alienation
• child custody
• child visitation
• resistant child

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Toby G. Kleinman

Toby Kleinman, Esq., is a New Jersey attorney and a partner in the law firm of Adler & Kleinman. Her latest book coauthored with Daniel Pollack is entitled; Domestic Abuse, Child Custody and Visitation: Winning in Court. Ms. Kleinman is Associate Editor of The Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody, & Child Development, and co-writes a regular column for the New York Law Journal. She is an Adjunct Professor Center for Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL.