Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Psicothema, 2011. Vol. Vol. 23 (nº 4). 636-641
Ramón J. Vilalta Suárez
Instituto de Medicina Legal de Asturias
El objetivo de este estudio fue valorar la presencia de los criterios que definen el Síndrome de Alineación Parental (SAP) en una muestra de familias en proceso de separación. Para ello se analizaron 39 expedientes obtenidos de los asuntos de familia evaluados por un servicio de psicología forense. Utilizando la descripción del SAP se elaboró un listado de criterios que sirviese para constatar su presencia, valorando a los tres actores de la dinámica del SAP: ambos progenitores e hijo. La presencia de estos criterios se analizó comparando los grupos con y sin interrupción en las visitas. Los resultados mostraron una fuerte correlación entre los criterios que definían el SAP. La presencia de estos criterios fue muy superior en el grupo con visitas interrumpidas en comparación con el grupo sin interrupción de visitas. Sin embargo, teniendo en cuenta los defectos que se computaban en los progenitores visitadores, no se encontraron diferencias entre ambos grupos. Estos resultados parecen confirmar la presencia de los criterios del SAP en familias que se encuentran en un proceso de ruptura con interrupciones o conflictos en las visitas.
Description of the Parental Alienation Syndrome in a forensic sample. The aim of this paper was to assess the presence of the criteria for Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in a sample of families in the process of divorce. Thirty nine records obtained from family cases evaluated by a forensic psychology service were analyzed. A checklist of criteria was made using the description of PAS, these criteria served to confirm their presence by assessing the three actors in the dynamics of the PAS: both parents and the child. The presence of these criteria was analyzed comparing the groups with and without interruption in the contacts. The results showed a strong correlation between the criteria defining the PAS. The presence of these criteria was much higher in the group with interrupted contacts versus the group with uninterrupted ones. However, taking into account the disorders that were computed in visiting parents, there were no differences between both groups. These results seem to confirm the presence of the criteria of PAS in families that are in a process of marriage breakdown with disruptions or conflicts in the visitation rights.
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