CAN THE TERM “P.A.S.” BE USED TO DESCRIBE SITUATIONS WHERE ONE PARENT “BAD-MOUTHS” THE OTHER PARENT OR BLOCKS ACCESS?
No – not unless these behaviors are part of a larger scheme of programming. P.A.S. goes well beyond “bad-mouthing” the other parent, blocking access and other attempts at brainwashing children. P.A.S. involves a systematic process of denigration and malignment of the other parent (i.e., the targeted parent) and often extends to friends and relatives of that parent. Most importantly, it involves the children’s participation and at times, their collaboration in the alienating process. When the behaviors are just limited to ‘bad-mouthing” or access blocking and the children are not involved in the process, this is termed as “alienating” behaviors or tactics. Q: CAN TODDLERS OR YOUNG CHILDREN (I.E., THOSE LESS THAN NINE YEARS OLD) BE PART OF THE P.A.S.? A: Because an essential dimension of the P.A.S. requires the active involvement of children in the campaign of denigration against the targeted parent, it follows that for this to successfully occur, a child must have a certain level of mat
