Defiance in the Family: Finding Hope in Therapy

Alienated, violent children and teenagers, desperate and worn-out parents: the destructive effects of unchecked defiant behavior are obvious. On a societal scale the problem of defiance is clearly reaching epidemic proportions, and punitive societal responses only seem to exacerbate the condition. In Defiance in the Family, however, the authors look closely at the constructive nature of defiance, its utility. They examine defiance as an expression of the child's worry for a family that is not working properly and as the child's means of protecting and preserving the inner self in the face of perceived threat. As such, defiance becomes a therapeutic opportunity and tool. With a firm clinical orientation and a wealth of case material, Keith, Connell, and Connell trace this symbolic experiential approach from initial contact and first interview to termination, including the three-generation consultation and strategies for implementation.