Abordagens da alienação parental: proteção e/ou violência?

This article analyses the approaches to parental alienation through the conceptual, power and operational dimensions, main categories drawn from qualitative research involving interviews with the staff of psychosocial studies, mediators and judges of the Family Court of Lafayette Forum of Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil. In the conceptual dimensions, were addressed the concept of syndrome and the legal concept of illicit act and litigation act, this one associated with family conflict. As for the dimensions of power, the effects of medicalization, judicialization and state intervention were discussed. And as operative dimensions, solely expert approaches were opposed to psychosocial studies and therapeutic monitoring approaches and discussed with the legal approaches, in its protective and punitive aspect. It was concluded that by easing the clinical and legal approaches, it is possible for the state to fulfill its function of protecting the minor in vulnerable condition, but without incurring in institutional violence. In this direction, were appointed the mediation and the new law on joint custody which, together with therapeutic interventions, mainly of psychoanalytical or systemic orientation, point to the responsibility of the individual towards his choices and acts as the best way of resolving conflicts.