Treating the Cheater: An Ego and Self Psychological Approach to Working Through of the Cheating Syndrome in the Treatment of Latency Children

Child therapists who work with latency-age children between the ages of 6 and 11 regularly encounter certain children whose history and presenting problems, symptoms and behavior are so prototypical that one can speak of a composite case to which certain composite techniques may be applied. In game playing of all kinds, such children blatantly disregard the rules or manipulate them to their advantage, and cheat. For the latency child not to be able to adhere to the rules of the game, which includes the game of life, can be a source of serious maladjustment, as well as a source of considerable frustration in the play therapist.

Presenting problems typically include negativism, oppositionalism, argumentativeness in reaction to reasonable expectations and demands, resistance to routines, inability to accept a “No.” They “have to have things their way, be the boss,” and thus alienate peers; cannot apply themselves in school, and underachieve. Interestingly, while not always part of parental presenting complaints, more in-depth history taking discloses that the child may be incessantly demanding, has low frustration tolerance, difficulty sustaining effort, cannot persevere, loses interest in things once started, and tends to lie and engage in petty stealing. At the same time, such children tend to be quite competitive, even murderously so. They can be domineering