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Jane was referred to the Child Guidance Clinic when she was 13 1/2 by the family doctor, at the request of her parents, who were finding themselves unable to control her, and were very anxious about her future at school. Jane was at a grammar school and the headmistress had threatened to expel her. In a letter, Mother described Jane as “very difficult and unable to take discipline”. She was lying continually. She had threatened Mother with the carving knife three times. She was said to hate “parents, home, school, her brother and even Edgware”. She had a group of friends who were not acceptable to her parents. Mother wrote, “she particularly admires boys with motor-bikes, leather jackets and long greasy hair”.
Jane and her parents were invited to a diagnostic interview by the psychiatrist. Mother and Jane appeared. Jane was uncommunicative and angry. She felt that Mother understood her although she said she didn't, but Father did not understand at all. Mother talked to the P.S.W. at length. She felt Jane was very unhappy. She was making no progress at school, and at home there were constant battles over school regulations. Jane had given up the things she used to enjoy—play-writing, horse-riding and swimming—and now spent all her time with a gang hanging around cafes. Mother and Jane quarrelled over clothes, make-up and smoking. Mother thought everything had got worse when Father was abroad six months ago; it was then that Jane started doing just what she wanted. Jane was said to hate Father; Father used to think the world of her, but had now given her up and thought she would go to the bad.
Mother gave some details of Jane's early history. She was breast-fed for three months: “It was sick and screaming all the time”. Bottle-feeding gave little relief until she was ten months. “She was restless all day and I had to be with her all the time”. She was a very active baby and settled much better when she was mobile. When Jane was nearly four, Mother had another baby. The