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Term Definition Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) - a theory that some parents intentionally cause the breakdown in a child’s relationship with the other parent.
Application in Divorce A theory developed by Dr. Richard Gardner, PAS has been described "as a disturbance in which children are not merely systematically and consciously ’brainwashed’ but also subconsciously and unconsciously ’programmed’ by one parent against the other."

The parental alienation syndrome can be the marital tort, and some courts have held that PAS is justification for a change in custody.