The Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child-custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the childs campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It results from the combination of a programming (brainwashing) parents indoctrinations and the childs own contributions to the vilification of the target parent. When true parental abuse and/or neglect is present the childs animosity may be justified, and so the parental alienation syndrome explanation for the childs hostility is not applicable. (Dr. Richard Gardner)