Table 2 Themes and illustrative quotations
Theme | Illustrative quotation |
|---|---|
Reflecting on dyadic challenges: role reversal and individuation | “He was kind of parentifying her too because he kept saying really negative things about mom. And she was placed in a situation where she constantly had to be defending mom” (Case 2B). “I also thought that at 15, kids begin to kind of have their own opinions, and they get into arguments with their parents as a way to separate a little bit more. We worry about what’s going to happen when he leaves and moves out in the world, if I’ll be left all alone” (Case 6). |
Centering the child, allying with the parent, and treating the family system | “There are also some cases with parents with very high income and high IQ who are able to argue really well. You are balancing between ‘Is the parent abusive?’ or ‘Are the arguments legitimate?’ Who should I protect?” (Case 2B). “I think that when mom does try to enter a holding space for [the patient], her hands are somewhat limited because she’s still trying to hold herself” (Case 1 C). “It shifted it from focusing on the logical piece of the story to what’s the emotional meaning behind this need to protect the daughter and ask about it” (Case 4). |
Ambivalence in and about the parent-child dyad | “But when mom would say that okay what should I change? What should I do? He would say, oh it’s not about you. So there was this ambivalence about what really was going on” (Case 1 C). “[The father] wants to do well. So the intentions are good and the love is really there, but you can traumatize your kids, even if you love them” (Case 2B). |
Longitudinal narratives and ambivalence over time | “As I was [the interviewer] in the first session, I was actually taken back for a little bit. I was like, oh well wait, these are the same people, what’s going on? For a second, it took a while to realize that this was a continuation. And I will agree with you that I felt like the energy was kind of down and depressing” (Case 1 C). “I remember I was almost crying after the first session but it was much calmer this time” (Case 1 C). |