We live in a complex, unpredictable world, filled with an array of family styles and personalities. Whether or not we recognize it, the family in which one is raised or currently resides plays a pivotal role in their development and opportunities. While we should not blame our circumstance on where we came from, it is crucial that we understand how our childhood influences why we are the way we are. One phenomenon that affects several families, particularly ones with low-income, is parentification. Parentification, also known as the role-reversal of a parent and a child, is not inherently harmful for a child, but it is important to look at the situation objectively and consider the risk-factors. Before analyzing the benefits and risks of parentification, it is critical to understand why children are placed in this circumstance. In a study conducted by Li Ping Chee, Esther C. L. Goh, and Leon Kuczynski, titled “Oversized Loads: Child Parentification in Low-Income Families and Underlying Parent–Child Dynamics”, a qualitative methodology was used to conduct …show more content…
As described in Chee’s study, children who care for their younger siblings tend to struggle with managing their sibling’s behavior. They are unequipped to handle their siblings when they misbehave and some attempt to discipline them with physical violence. Furthermore, the participants in a study conducted by Dr. Melching were found to have lower levels of hope and increased amounts of stress that oftentimes carried over into their adult lives (Chee, 2015). As parentified children transition into adulthood, they may experience ambiguous loss, in which a person is physically alive, but psychologically absent, further resulting in depression. However, the study also states that social support is key to processing their experiences and preventing severe mental