ABSTRACT
Anna and her parents are participating in a study investigating the role of family interaction patterns in children’s conduct and social problems (see Wilson, 2001, for more information). Anna’s parents report that they are concerned about her temper, she seems to get angry easily and has few friends at
school or in her neighborhood. They feel frustrated about how to help her. Anna’s father states that he does not understand her behavior and that he only wants her to be happier. Questionnaires completed by Anna’s mother indicate that she is unhappily married to Anna’s father and feels very little support from her husband in parenting Anna. When interacting in triadic family sessions, Anna’s mother and father have difficulty coordinating their efforts to help her complete a homework assignment or build a world in a sandbox with toy people, animals, and buildings. There is little mutual fun or enjoyment in their interactions; negativity and competition dominate.
