The current study sought to examine whether parental alcoholism and family unpredictability contribute to the development of parentification, when children take on parental roles within the family. Participants (N = 123) from 10 outpatient clinics completed surveys that included the Retrospective Family Unpredictability Scale (CitationRoss, 1999), the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CitationJones, 1982) and the Parentification Questionnaire (CitationSessions & Jurkovic, 1986). Two hierarchical regression analyses confirmed that family unpredictability and parental alcoholism each made independent contributions to childhood parentification. We discuss clinical implications and suggestions for future research.
Notes
* p < .01;
** p = .001;
*** p < .001