Parentification
Notes
Parentification, defined as a role reversal where a child is obliged to act as a parent to their own parent or sibling, can lead to significant psychological, emotional, and spiritual consequences.
Physiological Consequences:
Egoic Consequences:
Psychological Consequences: Children experiencing parentification can face difficulties with boundary setting, heightened feelings of responsibility, and an accelerated loss of childhood.[1]. In terms of long-term impacts, parentified children are at a greater risk of developing mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and attachment disorders[2][3]
Emotional Consequences: Emotionally, parentified children may experience a premature understanding of adult issues, which can result in feelings of burden and resentment[4]. These children may also suffer from self-esteem issues, leading to emotional distress and poor interpersonal relationships[5].
Spiritual Consequences: Spiritual consequences may be context-dependent, especially in indigenous communities where spirituality often holds a strong cultural importance. An early imposition of adult roles could disrupt a child's spiritual growth, their relationship with the natural world, their community, and their ancestors[6]
- ↑ Boszormenyi-Nagy, Ivan, and Geraldine M. Spark. Invisible Loyalties: Reciprocity in Intergenerational Family Therapy. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
- ↑ Champion, Jessica E., Sarah S. Jaser, Kristen L. Reeslund, Lauren Simmons, Jennifer E. Potts, Ashley R. Shears, and Bruce E. Compas. "Caretaking Behaviors by Adolescent Children of Mothers with and Without a History of Depression." Journal of Family Psychology 23, no. 2 (2009): 156-166. 10.1037/a0014399
- ↑ Hooper, Lisa M. "The Application of Attachment Theory and Family Systems Theory to the Phenomena of Parentification." The Family Journal 15, no. 3 (2007): 217-223. DOI. 10.1177/1066480707301290
- ↑ Kuperminc, Gabriel P., Gregory J. Jurkovic, and Sara Casey. "Relation of Filial Responsibility to the Personal and Social Adjustment of Latino Adolescents from Immigrant Families." Journal of Family Psychology 23, no. 1 (2009): 14-22. 10.1037/a0014064
- ↑ Macfie, Jenny, Nancy L. McElwain, Ross M. Houts, and Martha J. Cox. "Intergenerational Transmission of Role Reversal between Parent and Child: Dyadic and Family Systems Internal Working Models." Attachment & Human Development 7, no. 1 (2005): 51-65. DOI: 10.1080/14616730500039663
- ↑ Hodge, David R., Gordon E. Limb, and Terry L. Cross. "Moving from Colonization Toward Balance and Harmony: A Native American Perspective on Wellness." Social Work 47, no. 3 (2002): 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/54.3.211.
