Two brothers scream at each other in a family counseling session. The phenomenon is best described as

• A. Interparental conflict
• B. Sibling rivalry
• C. Family meltdown
• D. Parent-child clash

Answer: (B)

Sibling rivalry is the ongoing competition, jealousy, and antagonism between brothers or sisters within the same family. When two brothers scream at each other in a family counseling session, the scene illustrates that direct dynamic—a conflict within the sibling subsystem as they seek attention, status, or control. This differs from interparental conflict, which would be between the parents; from a parent-child clash, which would involve a parent and a child; and from a family meltdown, which suggests a broader, chaotic breakdown of the whole family’s functioning rather than the specific interaction between siblings.