The Role of Parentification in Childhood in Individuals' Life Satisfaction

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 443 - 465, 31.08.2025

Derya Atalay

https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1597584

Abstract

Objectives: Life satisfaction is an important factor influencing individuals' overall happiness, and one of the elements shaping this condition is the level of parentification experienced during childhood. This study aims to determine the impact of being a parentified child on individuals' levels of life satisfaction.
Materials and Methods: The research was conducted with 227 participants aged between 15 and 65 years. Data were collected using the Life Satisfaction Scale and the Parentified Child Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and CHAID analysis were utilized in the data analysis.
Results: In conclusion, this study reveals that the main factors affecting individuals' life satisfaction are economic status and the adequacy of physical and emotional conditions. It was observed that participants with lower economic status had significantly lower life satisfaction scores. Additionally, crowded family environments and negative experiences during childhood were found to have a negative impact on life satisfaction. Furthermore, it was observed that the youngest children scored lower on both the parentification scale and the sibling-focused parentification scale, indicating that birth order plays a significant role in family relationships and parenting dynamics.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the critical factors that should be considered to understand the impact of family structure, economic conditions, and childhood experiences on individuals' social relationships and developmental processes.

Keywords

parentified child , effects of parentification , life satisfaction

Bireylerin Yaşam Doyumunda Çocuklukta Ebeveynleştirmenin Rolü

Abstract

Amaç: Yaşam doyumu, bireylerin genel mutluluğunu etkileyen önemli bir faktördür ve bu durumu şekillendiren unsurlardan biri, bireylerin çocukluk dönemlerinde yaşadıkları ebeveynleştirme düzeyidir. Bu çalışmada, bireylerin yaşam doyumu düzeylerine ebeveynleştirilmiş çocuk olma durumunun etkisini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışma, yaşları 15 ile 65 arasında değişen 227 katılımcıyla yürütülmüştür. Veriler Yaşam Doyumu Ölçeği ve Ebeveynleştirilmiş Çocuk Ölçeği kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistikler, pearson korelasyon ve CHAID analizinden yararlanılmıştır.
Bulgular: Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, bireylerin yaşam doyumunu etkileyen başlıca faktörlerin ekonomik durum ve fiziksel-duygusal alanların yeterliliği olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ekonomik durumu düşük olan katılımcıların yaşam doyumu puanlarının belirgin şekilde daha düşük olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca, kalabalık aile ortamı ve çocukluk döneminde yaşanan olumsuz deneyimlerin yaşam doyumunu olumsuz etkilediği tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, son doğan çocukların ebeveynleştirilme ölçeği ve kardeş odaklı ebeveynleşme ölçeği puanlarının daha düşük olduğu görülmüştür, bu durumun doğum sırasının aile içindeki ilişkilerde ve ebeveynlik dinamiklerinde önemli bir rol oynadığını göstermektedir.
Sonuç: Bu bulgular, aile yapısının, ekonomik koşulların ve çocukluk deneyimlerinin bireylerin sosyal ilişkileri ve gelişimsel süreçleri üzerindeki etkilerini anlamak için dikkate alınması gereken kritik unsurlar olduğunu vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

ebeveynleştirilmiş çocuk , ebeveynleştirmenin etkileri , yaşam doyumu

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