| Abstract: | The modern family is increasingly isolated and increasingly unstable. As a result, family therapists are faced with a variety of problems in families where the parents have separated or divorced. One previously unrecognised problem occurs when the partners, although separated, covertly remain attached to the old alliance. Frequently a child, by becoming “ill”, remains as a bridge between them to prevent the final disintegration of the marriage bond. Three case histories are provided as an illustration of this phenomenon. |
