Approaches to Adjustment and Deviance Case Study

Approaches to Adjustment and Deviance - Case Study Example Jason is the third child and has one older brother. Family conflicts arise when Jason attempts to emulate the activities of his 17-year-old brother. As a middle child, there have never been any clear boundaries set for Jason and he has often been emotionally neglected. He has struggled for his mother's attention and has taken on a rivalry with his father. His father has been stern, believing in 'tough love', without the emotional support or communication required to carry it out successfully. Jason's mother has made excuses for her son and has covered up and allowed his inappropriate behavior, possibly due to her own guilt. The conflict between the mother and father are at the core of the family problems and Jason reacts negatively to this conflict. It was advised that the family enter family counseling based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Through questioning, it was found that the mother and father rarely effectively communicate the important issues surrounding Jason's behavior and often have vastly different perceptions of what is acceptable to the family. Through role playing, the family was taught to communicate more effectively.