Narrative oriented multiple-family group with students who refuse to attend school and their parents— Yuk King Lau

Education and a parent’s responsibility to govern children’s appropriate behaviours are greatly emphasised in Chinese culture. In this culture, school refusing behaviours are not only a reflection of personal problems or a deficit of the students, but also a failure of their parents’ parenting skills. Qualitative studies on students who refuse to attend school found that they are usually ‘exiles’ who are critical of the meritocratic ideology promoted in their schools. Students who refuse to attend school and their parents need space for their voices and critical perspectives. This article illustrates the implementation of a narrative oriented multiple-family group with students who refuse to attend school and their parents, which is guided by the tradition of ‘consulting your consultants’ developed by Michael White and David Epston. The telling and re-telling in the group was found to be an empowering process for the participating families. The cultural difference between the emphasis on modesty and humility in the Chinese culture and the emphasis on self-affirmation was identified in the re-telling process. Further observations in the group process revealed that it is direct compliments or praise – especially those in big and abstract terms – that are being resisted in Chinese culture. Indirect appreciation through the resonance of life stories is accepted in both the west and the east.