This paper describes family interaction patterns during a 6-day wilderness backpacking course. Participants were a group of 9 adolescents boys in treatment at the Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial (New York), a private, residential treatment center which serves 65 emotionally disturbed boys and girls ranging from 4 to 18 years of age. Participants were placed into various leadership roles to identify family patterns that were dysfunctional and often the reason for their ineffective or inappropriate behavior. Three participants were selected to act as crew leaders. All of the crew leaders had experienced physical abuse and one boy also came from a substance-abusing family. A multigenerational pattern or "family legacy" explains how methods of discipline, means of expressing emotion, and patterns of communication recur in families across generations. These factors combined with the genetic predisposition for emotional instability or addiction place many children at risk for repeating destructive and dysfunctional family patterns. With the help of the treatment staff, participants were able to understand the similarities between crew leadership and parenting and to recognize their potential strengths and weaknesses within these roles. Individual leadership styles and crew management skills were discussed for the three crew leaders. By understanding the dynamics of family interaction patterns, staff can provide more effective treatment and intervention. (LP)