I have argued that the DSM is only one framework to understanding opposition and defiance in adolescents. I see oppositionality in adolescence as a social and relational construct. We need alternative frameworks to help us see, understand and treat oppositionality within a relational context, not solely located in a person but between people. Harry Stack…
Please meet Jason*. He loves sports. As I write, I can picture him telling me blow-by-blow how he made the winning shot in his last basketball game. This was an experience I had with Jason many times. Jason is a talented skateboarder and basketball player, and he enjoys football and soccer, too. His favorite video…
A few years ago, I worked with a young, Black, female adolescent, named Candice*, and her mother. Candice and her family had moved from an urban city in North Jersey to a suburban community in Central Jersey. Candice’s mother was recently divorced with three children: Candice, who was 13 years old; her eight-year-old sister; and her three-year-old brother. Candice was…
In my last post, “Opposition as Advocacy,” I raised the question, “if opposition in itself is not a problem, could it be a means to a desired outcome?” I say, yes! I made the claim, “To make a difference, bring about a change, or move forward sometimes requires opposition or a fight.” I support my claim of opposition as advocacy, especially…
In my welcome post, I painted a picture of the need to see oppositionality in adolescence as a normal part of development. Oppositionality is one of the ways in which adolescents come into their own. It aids them in developing a separate sense of self, purpose, and identity, as well as valuing connections and interdependence, and it…
A New Take on Adolescent Opposition 