Article by Marion Trent

A Look at Parent Alienation Syndrome
by Marion Trent
Divorce rates are climbing. Families are falling apart. Husbands are walking away from their responsibilities without blinking an eye. Mothers are killing their children without remorse. Ex-spouses are alienating sons and daughters from the other parent.
Sociopathy is a "personality disorder" and is characterized by a conspicuous disregard for the rights and needs of others. In the context of a familial environment this could very well begin with a perpetrator parent, who enjoys alienating a child from the victimized parent and is therefore engaging in the psychopathic style, or they could very well be a full-blown psychopath.
In broad strokes, let's assume a child is being alienated from the other parent and the child is required to be loyal to only one parent. The child will create false memories to secure the love of the perpetrator, since the other parent is "bad".
The child being stripped of their moral right to show love and compassion toward the alienated parent, will undoubtedly eventually create the psychopathic style in their own relationships in the very least-- if not, they may eventually become full-blown sociopaths themselves.
Many psychological problems will follow the child through adolescence and beyond. And many times, the perpetrators care very little about someone's psyche, even a child's.
It could very well be that the perpetrator is mimicking the style they were taught by their own parents and is not a true sociopath. Either way, it is just as damaging to the families that are involved during the alienation, and to those that will be affected when the child grows up without compassion for the other parent.
Parental Alienation Syndrome is running rampant. When engaging in PAS, parents are definitely creating the psychopathic style in their children.
Many of the perpetrators seem to be living a normal life, but underneath is a very undeveloped and emotionally stunted individual. Therefore, they may hide behind religious convictions without any regard for the child's psychological needs.
Children are being brainwashed, or told of relationship problems that existed (real or imagined) in the marriage. It is a grievous act against children to dump such information on them, but it is not a punishable crime and therefore the perpetrator gets away with it.
Is it not this behavior that perpetuates sociopathy and causes wars in our world today?
Please read "What does a severely alienated child look like?"
Why have we been so blind to this personality disorder and its style? How can we change it? How can we avoid the personality disorder in our children? How can we heal the psychopathic style in ourselves? And, why is it so difficult to connect the personality lacking a conscience to the word "Sociopath (Psychopath)"?
"The majority of psychopaths manage to ply their trade without murdering people. By focusing too much on the most brutal and newsworthy examples of their behavior, we run the risk of remaining blind to the larger picture: psychopaths who don't kill but who have a personal impact on our daily lives."

He will choose you, disarm you with his words, and control you with his presence.He will delight you with his wit and his plans. He will show you a good time, but you will always get the bill. He will smile and deceive you, and he will scare you with his eyes. And when he is through with you, and he will be through with you,he will desert you and take with him your innocence and your pride. You will be left much sadder but not a lot wiser, and for a long time you will wonder what happened and what you did wrong. And if another of his kind comes knocking at your door, will you open it?
From an essay signed, "A psychopath in prison." Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us. -Dr. Hare