Two parents in conflict with one another each make efforts to recruit their child to their side in order to support their position in the conflict. According to family therapists, this exemplifies ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Triangulation is a term used in family therapy to describe a situation in which two people in a relationship involve a third person to reduce tension or conflict between them. In this case, the parents are involving their child in their conflict, making the child a third person in the relationship. This is an example of triangulation. Option A, undifferentiated ego mass, refers to a situation in which an individual cannot effectively separate their emotions from those of others, leading to enmeshment and codependency. Option C, extra-group socializing, refers to socializing outside of the immediate family unit, and option D, linear causality, refers to the idea that events occur in a linear, cause-and-effect sequence. Neither of these options accurately describes the situation presented in the question.

Two Parents in Conflict with One Another Each Make Efforts