During a family therapy session, what term best describes a child trying to undermine a sibling to gain privilege?

The situation described involves a child actively attempting to undermine a sibling in order to gain a privilege, which indicates an awareness of the dynamics in the family and the ability to influence or control outcomes to their advantage. This behavior is characteristic of manipulation, as it involves a deliberate attempt to sway or influence the actions or feelings of another person (the sibling) for personal gain.

Manipulation can manifest in various forms, including deceit, coercion, or strategizing interactions to achieve specific goals, which aligns perfectly with the scenario of attempting to undermine a sibling. The concept suggests a level of cunning or tactical thinking where the child is intentionally trying to alter the balance of privilege or attention in the family setting.

While other terms like placating, distraction, and blaming might describe other behaviors within family dynamics, they do not capture the intent and strategy behind the child's actions in this scenario. Placating refers to appeasing someone to calm them down, distraction entails diverting attention away from an issue or discussion, and blaming involves assigning fault to another person for a problem or conflict. None of these accurately reflect the child's calculated approach to altering their familial standing to gain a specific advantage over their sibling.