There seems to be a sharp divide among scientists and clinicians about the concept of “parental alienation.”

Warshak (2010) prefers the term “pathological alienation” which he defines “as a disturbance in which children, usually in the context of sharing a parent’s negative attitudes, suffer unreasonable aversion to a person or persons with whom the formerly enjoyed normal relations or with whom they would normally develop affectionate relations” (Divorce Poison, p.  28).

I am puzzled by the discussion between clinicians and scientists as it appears that neither group is trying to sort out the useful from the useless aspects of this issue.
I have put link to some recent research and clinical discussions of this issue and will be exploring these articles in the coming weeks.