Ambiguous Loss: A new framework for understanding opposition in the relationship between the adolescent and caregiver

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…

Looking at Oppositional Defiant Disorder through Jason’s Eyes

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 New Take on “A Child’s Place”

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…