title: The parental alienation debate belongs in the courtroom, not in DSM-5.
abstract: The DSM-5 Task Force is presently considering whether to adopt parental alienation disorder (PAD) as a mental illness. Although controversy has surrounded PAD since its inception in 1985, pro-PAD groups and individuals have breathed new life into the push to establish it as a mental health diagnosis. In this analysis, we argue that it would be a serious mistake to adopt parental alienation disorder as a formal mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40509, USA. timothyhouchin@uky.edu
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Houchin
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ranseen
authors.forename: Phillip A K
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hash
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bartnicki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002655:Child Custody / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012918:Social Alienation / Q000523:psychology*; D013577:Syndrome