Parentification:
« Back to Glossary IndexParentification, also called parent–child role reversal, is a psychological term used to describe the process of role reversal when a child/teen needs to step up and support the family system in ways that are developmentally inappropriate and overly burdensome. While it’s developmentally appropriate for a child to help prepare a meal (not parentification), it’s inappropriate to require them to prepare meals alone for the whole family (parentification). Two distinct types are instrumental parentification (child completes physical tasks for family, like cooking meals or cleaning house) and emotional parentification (child/teen becomes confidante or mediator for/between parents or family members). Also see Transference
