Helping parents deal with children's acute disciplinary problems without escalation: The principle of nonviolent resistance

There are true hinds of escalation between parents and children with acute discipline problems: (a) complementary escalation, in which parental giving -in leads to a progressive increase in the child's demands, and (b) recipro cal escalation, in which hostility begets hostility. Extant programs for he lping parents deal with children with such problems focus mainly on one hin d of escalation to the neglect of the other. The systematic use of Gandhi's principle of "nonviolent resistance" allows for a parental attitude that c ounters both hinds of escalation. An intervention is described, which allow s parents to put this principle into practice.