Task-centered sibling aggression intervention for Brian Cane

Brian Cane has various challenges but we may formulate his primary issue to be that of sibling rivalry.. There are too little programs that deal with sibling rivalry, and even these are little explored.

Commenting on the need for an effective empirical, one-on-one intervention for the problem, Caspi (2008) suggested an exploratory design that can be effectively translated to Brian's situation. The model -- called task centered sibling aggression (TCSA) - focuses more on exploratory reasons for behavior and addressing these than on outcome-based response. The model is divided into five phases: problem analysis and project planning, information gathering and synthesis, design, early development and pilot testing, evaluation and advanced development, and dissemination.

problem analysis and project planning,

The first step is performance of a literature review in order to assess the possible reasons of sibling rivalry and to correlate with this particular instance. Caspi (2008) writes that reasons include perception of parental favoritism; parental-child conflict in relationships; lack of reinforcement of pro-social skills on parent's part; rejecting parents; polarized definitions of good and bad children; coercive parenting; over-controlling parents; abusive parenting; and lack of acknowledgment of child's concerns.

Family-as -a -whole factors include lack of resources; poor family cohesion; marital conflict; lack of family rules; parent child coalition; as well as family constellations such as gaps between siblings, gender; and birth-order configurations (see also Graham-Bermann et al., 2004).

Other factors, too may include poverty, boredom, parental support of violence, societal support of violence, and lack of diversity of interest for child. All of these factors are possible elements for Brian's issue of sibling rivalry.

Other elements that should be taken into consideration are characteristics of his culture, specific ways that this gender may add to his problem, and his developmental characteristics. (Means-Burleson, 2002).

Phase 2: Design

The literature research is correlated to Brian's history. Investigation are made into which factors may be most symptomatic of Brian's situation.

In this case, Brian experiences sibling rivalry between him and his twin brothers. He is a 15-year-old boy that's living with his step dad, step sister and twin brothers from a moms affair. From the mom's affair, she conceived 2 twin boys with a disability. Because of the two brothers, Brian feels resentment towards his mom. He also feels jealousy because, his mom is giving the kids more attention because they have a disability. Brian can't stand his brothers so he locks himself in the room thus making him lack communication with family. Sibling rivalry also has a negative effect on the marital status. Brian's step dad gets stressed because of the problems of the kids that he leaves the home to have the mom deal with it. Because he's locked up in the room, Brian probably feels depressed and feels isolated. He is also socially reserved and has few friends.

Other factors include the fact that Brian hates his biological father who is emotionally abusive and borders on physical abuse with much of this behavior being directed towards Brian. Brian is also diagnosed with mega-colon which correlates to an attempt to try and control things in his life. On the positive side, we know that Brian is smart and loves technology as well as that he has a close relationship with his younger sister Alana.

Brian occasionally loses his temper and explodes at his mother. On top of all of this, Brian has also been away form home for an extend period of time (6 months) for therapy. He has started taking medication for his depression.

Brian has many of the elements of conditions susceptible to sibling rivalry: he has a mother that apparently provides preference to other children as well as being detached form Brian; he has an abusive parent; there seem to be little rules; the family configuration is upset; there is family conflict; a history of marital conflict; poor family cohesion; perception of parental favoritism; parental-child conflict in relationships; lack of reinforcement of pro-social skills on parent's part; paucity of interests, and lack of acknowledgment of child's concerns.

Now that we have the elements of the possible causes that result in Brian's sibling rivalry, we can then plot plans to deal with the different conditions.

Possible one-on-one interventions may include the following retention of pharmacology

Introduction of cognitive behavioral therapy where Brian is shown how to deal with and manage his thoughts as well as how to be responsible for his own behavior rather than attempting to control that of others. This is particularly helpful with Brian's self-imposed isolation

Eclectic Rogerain counseling where counselor practices empathy, non-judgmental tolerance towards client, active listening, and encouraging client to formulate his own solutions

Insight into the conduct and feelings of Brian's mother as well as specific suggestion for how to deal with the mother's seeming apathy to Brian. Understanding can revolve around previous marital concerns, as well as her present medical concerns

Insight into the behavior of his biological father and strategies that may be effective in dealing with his father's abusive behavior and/or keeping away form his father.

Strategies for dealing with his disease and insight into its cause.

Social relationship skills that he can use to make friends and break out of his isolation. (Felson, 1983)

Predictably, any one of these actions will have a rebounding effect where positive influence will be witnessed in various other elements of Brian's life.

The brunt of this stage is to formulate specific tasks / projects that will be directed to dealing with the problems.

Evaluation and Advanced Development

The earlier phase of pilot testing leads onto continuous evaluation of client progress and determination of whether or not to modify Brian's program and, if so, in which ways. The SSE/s as well as feedback from people who are most involved with Brian's life (such as parents, family, school etc.), and Brian's progress notes themselves would serve as reports for whether or not to proceed.

The counselor need not always wait for these intervals of evaluation and feedback, rather plan can be modified as she sees fit if necessity would call for it (for instance if Brian's behavior improves or worsens).

A chart can be kept to assist with tracking frequency and severity of behavior and to assess whether improvement has, indeed, been noted.

Phase 5. Dissemination

In this, the final phase, Brian's plan and practitioner's notes of progress are made available to other's involved with Brian's life such as his family, school, medical practitioners so that thtey too can employ it to their advantage aside form providing their own feedback and evaluation of how plan can be modified / improved and their personal observations of Brian's progress.

Source

Caspi, J (2008). Building a Sibling Aggression Treatment Model: Design and Development Research in Action, Research on Social Work Practice, 18: 575

Felson, R. (1983, December). Aggression and violence between siblings.Social Psychology Quarterly, 46(4), 271-285.

Graham-Bermann, S.A., Cutler, S.E., Litzenberger, B.W., & Schwartz, W. E. (1994). Perceived conflict and violence in childhood sibling relationships and later emotional adjustment. Journal of Family Psychology, 8, 85-97.

Means-Burleson, a.M. (2002). Aggression: Family and sibling correlates. Dissertation Abstracts International, 68(6B), 3015. (UMI

No. 3058213)

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.