Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS): Definition, humanistic profiles and clinical hypothesis of absorption with “adaptation disorder”. Clinical evidences

Purpose: The present research aims to find clinical evidence for the starting hypothesis: parental alienation is a form of psychological violence that is part of the adjustment disorder fuelled by dysfunctional parental conduct.Methods: Using the Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interview (PICI-1C, for children), a restricted and low sample of patients was selected (21 subjects), all aged between 4 and 10 years, with a clinically relevant behavioural manifestation (and a presumed “label” of parental alienation), with parents in the process of marital separation not yet concluded and in a conflictual or in any case difficult intra-familiar relational context. Anonymity was guaranteed to all.Results: According to the PICI-1C, 100% (21/21) of cases fall into one of the six identified subtypes of adjustment disorder: a) 18,5% (4/21), disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (cat. 8); b) 13,7% (3/21), maladaptive separation disorder (cat. 9); c) 23,4% (5/21), oppositional defiant disorder (cat. 10); d) 23,4% (5/21), explosive-intermittent disorder (cat. 11); e) 7,3% (1/21), uninhibited social engagement disorder (cat. 12); f) 13,7% (3/21), attachment disorder (cat. 13).Conclusions: It can therefore be concluded, with all the limitations of the selected population sample, which is not representative, that the hypothesis of considering PAS (or PAD) as a variant of the general adaptation disorder, due to parental behaviour that feeds the dysfunctionality of the trauma suffered by the minor, can be substantially correct, also pointing out the correlation between the severity of the symptoms suffered (and the psychopathological condition found) and the prolonged exposure to stressful events.