Parental alienation glossary

The legal and psychological terms that come up most often in discussions of parental alienation, defined simply — with a link to the dedicated article to go further on each concept.

Parental alienation: A common expression for a situation in which a child, after a conflictual separation, rejects one of their parents without a proportionate reason — this rejection being encouraged, consciously or not, by the other parent. The term is used in everyday language, but it does not correspond to any recognized medical diagnosis (see "Parental alienation syndrome").; The full dossier →
Parental alienation syndrome (PAS): A concept theorized in the 1970s-1980s by American child psychiatrist Richard Gardner. It has never achieved scientific consensus, is not included in the World Health Organization's international classification of diseases, and several French courts of appeal have dismissed it as "devoid of scientific value."; PAS, loyalty conflict, coercive control: not to be confused →
Loyalty conflict: A documented and non-controversial psychological concept: a situation in which a child feels forced to choose a side between their two parents, at the risk of "betraying" one to remain loyal to the other. It can occur in any conflictual separation, without deliberate manipulation.; PAS, loyalty conflict, coercive control: not to be confused →
Parental coercive control (emprise): A relationship of psychological domination that one parent exercises over the child (or over the other parent), through control, manipulation or repeated pressure. Unlike PAS, this is a concept that French courts recognize and actually use in their rulings.; PAS, loyalty conflict, coercive control: not to be confused →
Ambiguous loss: A concept developed by American family therapist Pauline Boss starting in the late 1970s: a situation of loss marked by uncertainty, in which a person remains physically absent but psychologically present — or the reverse. Grief cannot "close" normally, for lack of certainty or ritual.; When a child stops responding →
Juge aux Affaires Familiales (JAF): In France, this is the judge of the tribunal judiciaire responsible for ruling on a child's residence, visitation and accommodation arrangements, or the exercise of parental authority. Most situations involving a suspicion of parental alienation are decided before this judge.; Dealing with the family court judge (JAF) in France →
Parental authority: The set of rights and duties parents have toward their minor child (protection, education, important decisions). Under French law, it is in principle exercised jointly by both parents, including after a separation, unless the judge decides otherwise.
Primary residence / alternating residence: An arrangement set by the JAF determining where the child lives day to day after a separation: with one of the parents (primary residence, with visitation and accommodation rights for the other) or alternately with both (alternating residence).
Visitation and accommodation rights (droit de visite et d'hébergement, DVH): Under French law, the right granted to the parent with whom the child does not habitually reside to have the child to stay according to a schedule set by the judge or by mutual agreement (weekends, school holidays, etc.).
Family medico-psychological expert assessment: A measure ordered by the JAF when it considers it does not have enough evidence to decide. It generally includes individual interviews with each parent and the child, observation of interactions, and analysis of the documents submitted to the case file.; Dealing with the family court judge (JAF) in France →
Failure to produce a child (non-représentation d'enfant): An offense under Article 227-5 of the French Criminal Code, constituted by the unjustified and repeated refusal to hand over the child to the person entitled to claim them (punishable by up to one year's imprisonment and a €15,000 fine).
Family mediation: A structured process, led by a qualified family mediator, aimed at helping parents in conflict resume dialogue and reach an agreement on organizing their children's lives, outside of or alongside court proceedings.

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