Intervention Paradigms for Parents: The Application of Previewing

The archetypal portrait of the nurturing parent and the dependent child is coming under increased scrutiny as therapists begin to explore the bonds of intimacy joining parent and infant and to uncover the oftentimes less than idyllic circumstances that surround this relationship. A variety of intervention strategies, ranging from a psychoanalytic approach to a behaviorist approach to a family therapy approach, have been developed to effect adaptive change in parent-infant dyads manifesting patterns of dysfunction. Each of these strategies, however, leaves certain questions unanswered. This paper relies upon the concept of “previewing” as an innovative principle that enables therapists to predict the course of future interpersonal behavior between the parent and the infant. Previewing techniques are applied to a discussion of two clinical cases in order to demonstrate how they can be used to diagnose and resolve conflict within the dyadic relationship.