Parentification in Families Experiencing Violence

Abstract

Introduction: The polymotivational nature of violence makes it impossible to clearly determine its cause in a given family. Also, the multitude and extent of consequences for people involved in it are very high. Parentification can be observed in families experiencing violence, which is often not only a result of being subjected to acts of violence but can also be seen as a violent behaviour exhibited by adults towards children. Objective of the study: The objective of this article is to draw attention to the problem of parentification in families experiencing violence. The article attempts to discuss the current state of knowledge about the essence of parentification, its determinants, the identification of roles taken up by children and the consequences of this problem. State of knowledge: Theoretical considerations and empirical studies in this area usually concern families with alcohol problems. It should be clarified, however, that this problem is also quite often present in families where acts of violence occur. This term is usually defined as a process where a child is obligated to look after their parents or siblings at the cost of their own needs. Summary: The article may contribute to further research and reflections on this problem, especially in the aspect of identifying and designing effective preventive and therapeutic actions dedicated to people experiencing parentification.