Parental Alienation Syndrome is Real and Deserves Recognition Through Literature and Law
Source: Beverly Willett. "Novel On Parental Alienation Syndrome Rings True." April 2, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that Parental Alienation Syndrome is a real problem where one parent manipulates a child to reject the other parent during divorce. She uses a new novel as evidence that this syndrome is genuine and harmful, pointing to recent research and court cases that support its existence.
Conclusion
Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a legitimate, destructive phenomenon that deserves serious recognition, and Fran Hawthorne's novel 'Her Daughter' effectively illustrates its reality and harmful effects
Premises
- Recent scientific research has finally validated PAS as a real mental condition affecting children in high-conflict divorces
- Courts are increasingly recognizing PAS and offering legal protections for affected parents and children
- PAS involves specific, identifiable behaviors by alienating parents and corresponding responses in children
- Hawthorne's novel accurately depicts the documented patterns and effects of PAS based on expert research
- The novel shows how PAS causes severe psychological harm to both the alienated parent and the child
- Legislative efforts are underway to address PAS, indicating growing institutional recognition of the problem
Assumptions
- Fiction can serve as a legitimate vehicle for illustrating real psychological and social phenomena
- Expert definitions and research on PAS are scientifically valid and reliable
- The behaviors described in the novel are representative of actual PAS cases
- Legal and legislative recognition indicates the legitimacy of a psychological condition