Jean Mercer – författare

Candace Newmaker was an adopted girl whose mother felt the child suffered from an emotional disorder that prevented loving attachment. The mother sought attachment therapy—a fringe form of psychotherapy—for the child and was present at her death by suffocation during that therapy. This text examines the beliefs of the girl's mother and the unlicensed therapists, showing that the death, though unintentional, was a logical outcome of this form of treatment.The authors explain legal factors that make it difficult to ban attachment therapy, despite its significant dangers. Much of the text's material is drawn from court testimony from the therapists' trial, and from 11 hours of videotape made while Candace was forcibly held beneath a blanket by several adults during the therapy. This book also presents history connecting attachment therapy to century-old fringe treatments, explaining why they may appeal to an unsophisticated public. This book will appeal to general readers, such as parents and adoption educators, as well as to scholars and students in clinical psychology, child psychiatry, and social work.

Is maternal instinct fact or fiction? What special challenges do adoptive parents face? What kind of daycare is better, one with many caregivers or one with few? When is separation anxiety normal in a child? Do the experiences of early childhood always influence our ability to build and maintain social relationships as adults? Understanding Attachment helps to answer these questions and many others. This book is perfect for the reader who wants or needs a thorough understanding of attachment, but does not have time to indulge in lengthy study. Parents, child care providers, teachers, nurses, social workers, attorneys, therapists, students, and counselors will all appreciate this work.Is maternal instinct fact or a myth? What special challenges do adoptive parents face? What kind of daycare is better, one with many caregivers or one with few? When is separation anxiety normal in a child, and when is it a sign of a developmental problem? Do the experiences of early childhood always influence our ability to build and maintain social relationships as adults? Understanding Attachment helps to answer these questions and many others. This book is perfect for the reader who wants or needs a thorough understanding of attachment, but does not have the time to indulge in lengthy study. Parents, child care providers, teachers, nurses, social workers, attorneys, therapists, students, and counselors will all appreciate this work.Mercer defines attachment and related terms, discusses the history of the idea, and describes ways in which this aspect of emotional life can be measured. She explains developmental change and the way attachment continues to alter from infancy to adulthood. The importance of social experiences with parents and other caregivers is emphasized. Outcomes of good and poor attachment experiences are discussed, and there is material on attachment disorders. The book concludes with a description of recent work that gives a new perspective on attachment.

This book addresses the concept of parental alienation – the belief that when a child of divorced parents avoids one parent, it may be because the preferred parent has persuaded the child to do this. It argues against the unquestioning use of parental alienation concepts in child custody conflicts.Increasing use of this concept in family courts has led at times to placement of children with abusive or violent parents, damage to the lives of preferred parents, and the use of treatments that have not been shown to be safe or effective. The 13 chapters cover the history and theory of "parental alienation" principles and practices. Methodological and research issues are considered, and diagnostic and treatment methods associated with "parental alienation" beliefs as well as those recommended by research and ethical evidence are analyzed. The connections of "parental alienation" with gender and domestic violence issues are discussed as are the experiences of individuals who have experienced "parental alienation" treatments. The book argues that "parental alienation" principles and practices should be avoided by family courts, in the best interests of children in custody disputes.This book will be useful reading for lawyers, judges, children’s services workers including social workers, child protection court workers, and mental health professionals involved in child custody decisions.

This book addresses the concept of parental alienation – the belief that when a child of divorced parents avoids one parent, it may be because the preferred parent has persuaded the child to do this. It argues against the unquestioning use of parental alienation concepts in child custody conflicts.Increasing use of this concept in family courts has led at times to placement of children with abusive or violent parents, damage to the lives of preferred parents, and the use of treatments that have not been shown to be safe or effective. The 13 chapters cover the history and theory of "parental alienation" principles and practices. Methodological and research issues are considered, and diagnostic and treatment methods associated with "parental alienation" beliefs as well as those recommended by research and ethical evidence are analyzed. The connections of "parental alienation" with gender and domestic violence issues are discussed as are the experiences of individuals who have experienced "parental alienation" treatments. The book argues that "parental alienation" principles and practices should be avoided by family courts, in the best interests of children in custody disputes.This book will be useful reading for lawyers, judges, children’s services workers including social workers, child protection court workers, and mental health professionals involved in child custody decisions.

This book introduces readers to the concept of parental alienation (PA), a belief system that is used with increasing frequency in judicial child custody and parenting plan decisions.PA is essentially a legal concept without validated psychological definition, assuming that children who resist contact with one divorced parent have in many cases been “brainwashed” or persuaded to do so by the machinations of the preferred parent. PA proponents assert that courts should transfer child custody to the avoided parent and prohibit contact between the child and the preferred parent. Unfortunately, the outcomes of such decisions, as reported by parents and their now-adult children, suggest that application of the PA concept is neither safe nor effective as a response to children’s resistance to contact with a parent. Providing an overview of the concept of parental alienation, methods of identifying PA cases, and court-ordered treatments for children and parents, the book uses seven case-study chapters, each introduced with a brief recapitulation of the issues, and closed with a summary of events to offer suggestions about desirable family court changes.This is the first book to tell a range of stories about the experiences of fathers, mothers, and children who have been separated and subjected to PA interventions after allegations have been made. It will be of interest to professionals practicing in psychology, psychiatry, social work, counselling, law, and the judiciary, and anyone involved in research and in legislative efforts relevant to family courts.

This book introduces readers to the concept of parental alienation (PA), a belief system that is used with increasing frequency in judicial child custody and parenting plan decisions.PA is essentially a legal concept without validated psychological definition, assuming that children who resist contact with one divorced parent have in many cases been “brainwashed” or persuaded to do so by the machinations of the preferred parent. PA proponents assert that courts should transfer child custody to the avoided parent and prohibit contact between the child and the preferred parent. Unfortunately, the outcomes of such decisions, as reported by parents and their now-adult children, suggest that application of the PA concept is neither safe nor effective as a response to children’s resistance to contact with a parent. Providing an overview of the concept of parental alienation, methods of identifying PA cases, and court-ordered treatments for children and parents, the book uses seven case-study chapters, each introduced with a brief recapitulation of the issues, and closed with a summary of events to offer suggestions about desirable family court changes.This is the first book to tell a range of stories about the experiences of fathers, mothers, and children who have been separated and subjected to PA interventions after allegations have been made. It will be of interest to professionals practicing in psychology, psychiatry, social work, counselling, law, and the judiciary, and anyone involved in research and in legislative efforts relevant to family courts.