Question:

A social worker at a community agency begins working with a family which reports frequent arguments centering around the teenage son’s behavior. The mother reports that while he maintains good grades and participation on the school soccer team, he is “totally uninterested” in family life. The father then interrupts and states that his wife has “unrealistic expectations” for his son. They continue to bicker about discipline while their son sits silently, rolling his eyes. The social worker should first _________.