Introduction
Family conflicts are the category of relationships that is manifested quite often and is expressed in the form of quarrels and misunderstanding. As a solution to family problems, specific mediation models are used. One of the effective techniques is the model of narrative mediation, the essence of which lies in discussing any existing issue that can potentially cause a controversy (Taylor, 2010). The application of this method will help to avoid a serious conflict in a certain family and find a compromise in solving the current problem or misunderstanding.
Conflict Background
The conflict under analysis is quite typical for a family in which a second child recently was born. The participants are a father, a mother, a seven-year-old son, and a little girl who was born not long ago. The main conflict occurs between the father and the mother who cannot share responsibilities and are forced to argue for a long time about who will control the younger daughter and who will do housework and take care of the elder son. The conflict looks rather standard: first, parents silently ignore each other, and then quarrels arise caused by the desire of each of them to express their positions.
As it can be seen from the situation, the children have a direct relationship to the problem. According to Rudd, Ogle, Holtzworth-Munroe, Applegate, and D’Onofrio (2015), parent-child communication is a reflection of the microclimate in the family. Due to the fact that both the children are indirect causes of the conflict, the boy will likely feel guilty because he is old enough to understand the essence of the problem. Moreover, as Erickson and Erickson (2014) claim, the upbringing of children should not concern only one parent if the family is full. Therefore, the fact that the conflict lasts for almost three weeks is the fault of either adult. As a solution to the conflict, a Mentalizing-Based approach to family mediation proposed by Howieson and Priddis (2015) can also be very useful since the authors suggest taking into account psychological motivations. However, the model of narrative mediation that is used by Taylor (2010) will probably be the most effective.
Mediation Role Play
The family psychologist comes to the family to find out if everything is in order. During the dialogue, the woman sees a persistent tension between the father and the mother and understands that they are in a rather long conflict. Through indirect inquiry, the psychologist understands that the cause of misunderstanding is the problem with children. In the course of the conversation, the expert tries to convey to them that their responsibility for the upbringing and care of the children is equal, and the division of duties is useless as each of them will certainly be dissatisfied with the situation. At the end of the dialogue, all the three conclude that much more successful decisions can be made through peaceful resolution of any disagreements and calm discussion of issues than through quarrels and offenses.
Conclusion
Thus, the model of narrative mediation helps to avoid a serious conflict if its participants cannot come to a consensus. A meaningful and competent conversation is one of the ways to reconcile two conflicting parties and contributes to constructive criticism. Additional techniques can also be taken into account as possible interventions to resolve ambiguous situations.
References
Erickson, S. K., & Erickson, M. S. M. (2014). Family mediation casebook: Theory and process. New York, NY: Routledge.
Howieson, J., & Priddis, L. (2015). A mentalizing-based approach to family mediation: Harnessing our fundamental capacity to resolve conflict and building an evidence-based practice for the field. Family Court Review, 53(1), 79-95.
Rudd, B. N., Ogle, R. K., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Applegate, A. G., & D’Onofrio, B. M. (2015). Child-informed mediation study follow-up: Comparing the frequency of relitigation following different types of family mediation. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 21(4), 452-457.
Taylor, A. (2010). The handbook of family dispute resolution: Mediation theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.