Understanding and Managing Parental Alienation

"Matthewson, Haines and Turnbull have authored a deeply researched and compassionately written work on a pernicious form of family violence - Parental Alienation. Calling on their decades of experience in clinical psychology and family law, these experts give us a comprehensive look at how Parental Alienation begins, develops and resists attempts at intervention. Using the literature of family and clinical psychology, the authors provide a methodology for assessment and intervention. Drawing on their experience in forensic psychology and law, the authors provide immediately practical guidance to help legal professionals craft lasting remedies." - Demosthenes Lorandos, Ph.D, J.D, Licensed Psychologist and Attorney at Law, PsychLaw, USA "Matthewson, Haines and Turnbull have authored a deeply researched and compassionately written work on a pernicious form of family violence - Parental Alienation. Calling on their decades of experience in clinical psychology and family law, these experts give us a comprehensive look at how Parental Alienation begins, develops and resists attempts at intervention. Using the literature of family and clinical psychology, the authors provide a methodology for assessment and intervention. Drawing on their experience in forensic psychology and law, the authors provide immediately practical guidance to help legal professionals craft lasting remedies." - Demosthenes Lorandos, PhD, J.D, Licensed Psychologist and Attorney at Law, PsychLaw, USA

Janet Haines is a psychologist with over 20 years' experience in private clinical practice. She has extensive experience in matters involving psychology and family law, including acting as a single expert for the Family Law Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court. Mandy Matthewson is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and a clinical psychologist in private practice. She is the lead researcher in the Family and Interpersonal Relationships Research Lab at UTAS and Chair of the Parental Alienation Study Group's Research Committee. Marcus Turnbull is a senior partner specialising in family law, including child support and de facto relationship matters. Marcus is a child representative in the child protection jurisdiction and an independent children's lawyer in the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court of Australia. Currently, Marcus is the Tasmanian representative of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, the Chair of the Family Law Practitioners' Association of Tasmania, and member of the executive of the Australian Institute of Family Lawyers and Mediators.

List of tables Preface Part One: The nature of parental alienation 1. What is parental alienation? 2. The great syndrome debate 3. Processes underlying parental alienation 4. Parental alienation as a mental disorder 5. Parental alienation as a form of family violence Part Two: The alienated family 6. Alienating parents 7. Targeted parents 8. Alienated children 9. Other family members 10. Outside forces Part Three: Assessment of parental alienation 11. Assessing alienating parents 12. Assessing targeted parents 13. Assessing alienated children 14. Assessing dysfunctional family interaction patterns Part Four: The alienated family: A legal perspective 15. Parental alienation in the courts 16. Parental alienation and parenting dispute evaluations Part Five: Intervention with alienated families 17. The need for intervention 18. Family therapy and beyond 19. Individual therapy with each family member Part Six: Identifying parental alienation 20. A decision-making process 21. Where to from here? Index