Abstract
The parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is being used at our country by some courts. The justification is that it can be a medical syndrome We make a content analyse of the Gardner’s works and his concept. We conclude that the PAS was built through fallacies: circular argument, appealing to sapiential authority (himself), and false analogies with several medical disorders. The pragmatic goal is double: to get the change of custody and to modify through the «threat therapy» the behaviour of the parent and the children who are diagnosed. The «differential diagnosis» is a circular argument that explains any reaction as a symptom. The PAS can not differentiate between true and false allegations of abuse or maltreatment. For all these reasons, the PAS could be used as a threat for dissuade to women from left her couple when there is gender violence.
