"Irreconcilable differences" between parent and child: a case report of interactional pathology.
Certain parents use their child as a representative of their own unacceptable impulses, perceiving the youngster as evil and seeking experts to confirm their opinion. They come to mental health clinics for diagnoses but not treatment; evidence that contradicts their view is ignored out of a need to protect their own precarious psychological balance. The child, in spite of good early adjustment, tends to conform to the parents' preferred perception. Legal and ethical implications for professionals working with such cases are discussed.
D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002668:Child Rearing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011340:Problem Solving; D011599:Psychopathology; D012649:Self Concept