ABSTRACT
The therapist bets the adolescent that he will continue his misbehavior. To prove the therapist wrong, the adolescent must abandon the misbehavior. Williams and Weeks (1984) describe some paradoxical techniques in a school setting with preadolescents and adolescents. There are various advantages in using a strategic model with such a population. With paradox, there is less need for verbal ability or insight (Jessee and L’Abate, 1980). In addition, Weeks and Wright (1979) advocate the use of paradox with people who are having difficulty in a life-cycle transition, which often describes adolescents who appear in guidance and counseling offices. Paradox is considered to be effective for use with people who are low in motivation and high in resistance and opposition, typical of many adolescents (Papp, 1981). For these reasons, the use of paradox with children around the age of adolescence is highly recommended.
