Parental Attitudes Determining Children’s Roles and Reflections of Children’s Roles on Adult Life: A Qualitative Study

Year 2021, Volume: 18 Issue: Eğitim Bilimleri Özel Sayısı, 4013 - 4045, 15.09.2021

Çiğdem Yavuz Güler

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.948457

Abstract

This study aims to examine the role of the children in the family of origin and the definition of these roles, the parent attitudes that affect the formation and perpetuation of these roles, and the manner in which childhood roles are carried into adult life. The phenomenological model, a qualitative research method, was used in this study to obtain in-depth information about the subject. “Personal Information Form” and “Open-ended Questions List” were used as data collection tools. The study group consisted of 110 people, of whom 91 (82.7%) were women and 19 (17.3%) were men. The obtained data were analyzed using the MaxQDA – Version 2018 software. The observations resulting from the study included that the hero child role comes with assuming responsibility, parent-like attitudes, and a mediator role in the family system and that the attitudes of such children’s parents attribute more power and responsibility to the child in question. It was observed that the scapegoat children describe themselves as problematic, rebellious, and a burden, and their parents treat them with neglect, abuse, emotional absence, and incrimination. On the other hand, lost children are those who are ignored, easy going, and inhibited. Mascot children regard themselves as the ones who give joy and lighten the mood in the family, who are enthroned, and who are the little ones. Parental attitudes determining children’s roles and reflections of children’s roles on adult life are discussed.

Keywords

children’s roles, parental attitudes, qualitative method

Çocukluk Rollerini Biçimlendiren Ebeveyn Tutumları ve Rollerin Yetişkinlik Yaşamına Yansımaları: Nitel Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Araştırmada, bireylerin öz kök ailede oluşan çocukluk rollerini, bu rollere ilişkin tanımlamaları, bu rollerin oluşumunu ve devamını etkileyen anne baba tutumları ile çocukluk rollerinin yetişkin yaşamına nasıl yansıdığını incelemek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, konu hakkında derinlemesine bilgi sahibi olmak amacıyla nitel araştırma yönteminin fenomonolojik modeli kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, ‘‘Kişisel Bilgi Formu’’ ve ‘‘Açık Uçlu Soru Listesi’’ kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu; Google formlar üzerinden araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden ve yanıtlayan bireyler oluşturmuştur. Buna göre çalışma grubu, 91’ i (%82,7) kadın, 19’ u (%17,3) erkek olmak üzere toplam 110 kişiden oluşmaktadır. Elde edilen veriler MaxQDA – Versiyon 2018 bilgisayar programı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonucunda, Kahraman çocukluk rolünün sorumluluk, ebeveynleşmek ve sistemde arabulucu roller üstlenmekle tanımlandığı, ebeveyn tutumlarının ise çocuğa olduğundan fazla güç atfetmek ve sorumluluk yüklemek olduğu görülmektedir. Günah keçilerinin problemli, isyankar ve yük olarak kendilerini tarifledikleri, ebeveyn tutumlarının ise ihmal, istismar, duygusal olarak yok olmak ve suçlayıcılık olduğu görülmektedir. Öte yandan kayıp çocuklar, yok sayılan, uyumlu ve ezik çocuklardır. Maskotlar ise kendilerini neşe, enerji veren, tahtın sahibi, evin küçüğü olarak tanımlamaktadır. Çocukluk rollerini belirleyen ebeveyn tutumları ve çocukların rollerinin yetişkin yaşamına yansımaları tartışılmıştır.

Keywords

çocukluk rolleri, ebeveyn tutumları, nitel metod

References

• Alford, K. M. (1998). Family roles, alcoholism, and family dysfunction. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 20(3), 250.
• Atkins, S. P. (1991). Siblings of learning disabled children: Are they special, too? Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 8, 525-533. doi:10.1007/bf00755239.
• Bell, L. G. and Bell, D. C. (1982). Family climate and the role of the female adolescent: Determinants of adolescent functioning. Family Relations, 31(4), 519-527. doi:10.2307/583927.
• Black, C. (1979). Children of alcoholics. Alcohol Research and Health, 4(1), 23.
• Black, C. A. (1982). It will never happen to me. Denver, Colorado: MAC.
• Bosma, W. G. (1972). Children of alcoholics--a hidden tragedy. Maryland State Medical Journal, 21(1), 34.
• Bowen, M. (1966). The use of family theory in clinical practice. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 7(5), 345-374. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-440X(66)80065-2.
• Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
• Deason, D. M. and Randolph, D. L. (1998). A systematic look at the self: The relationship between family organization, interpersonal attachment, and identity. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 13(3), 465.
• Eckstein, D., Aycock, K. J., Sperber, M. A., McDonald, J., Wiesner, V. V., Watts, R. E., et al. (2010). A Review of 200 Birth Order Studies: Lifestyle Characteristics. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 66(4), 408-434.
• Feist, J. and Feist, G. J. (2006). Theories of Personality 7th ed. McGraw-Hill Primis.
• Fischer, J. L., Spann, L. and Crawford, D. (1991). Measuring codependency. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 8, 87-100. https://doi.org/10.1300/J020V08N01_06.
• Fischer, J. L. and Wampler, R. S. (1994). Abusive Drinking in Young Adults: Personality Type and Family Role as Moderators of Family-of-Origin Influences. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56(2), 469. doi:10.2307/353113. Hecht, M. (1973). Children of alcoholics. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 73(10), 1764-1767.
• Kalkan, M. and Koç, H. (2007). Psikolojik Doğum Sırası Bireylerin Stresle Başa Çıkma Stratejilerinin Yordayıcısı mıdır? Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 3(30), 45-59.
• Kerr, M. E. and Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation. New York: Norton.
• Kier, F. J. and Buras, A. R. (1999). Perceived affiliation with family member roles: Validity and reliability of scores on the Children’s Role Inventory. Educational and psychological measurement, 59(4), 640-650. doi:10.1177/00131649921970071 .
• Margasiński, A. (2017). Psychological roles of young adults growing up in alcoholic and non-alcoholic families measured by Family Roles Questionnaire. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction/Alkoholizm i Narkomania, 30(1), 13-40.
• Mathews, B. and Halbrook, M. (1990). Adult Children of Alcoholics: Implications for Career Development. Journal of Career Development, 16(4), 261–268. doi:10.1177/089484539001600403. Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E. and Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 160940691773384–160940691773313. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 1609406917733847.
• Parker, J. D. (2015). A quantitative and qualitative exploration of the dream content of women exposed to addictions. The International Journal of Dream Research, 8(2), 77-98.
• Potter, A. E. and Williams, D. E. (1991). Development of a measure examining children's roles in alcoholic families. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 52(1), 70-77. doi:10.15288/jsa.1991.52.70.
• Richard S. Wampler, Adam B. Downs and Judith L. Fischer (2009) Development of a Brief Version of the Children's Roles Inventory (CRI-20). The American Journal of Family Therapy, 37(4), 287-298. doi: 10.1080/01926180902754687.
• Russell, M., Henderson, C. and Blume, S. B. (1985). Children of alcoholics: A review of the literature. New York: Children of Alcoholics Foundation.
• Samuel, I. S., Mahmood, Z. and Saleem, S. (2014). The development of the role identification scale for adult children of alcoholic fathers. Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 12(1), 3.
• Suneel, I., Mahmood, Z. and Saleem, S. (2017). Roles and mental health functioning of adult children of alcoholic fathers in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 317-332.
• Scharff, J. L., Broida, J. P., Conway, K. and Yue, A. (2004). The interaction of parental alcoholism, adaptation role, and familial dysfunction. Addictive Behaviors, 29(3), 575–581. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2003.08.028. Titelman, P. (2008). The concept of the triangle in Bowen theory: An overview. In P. Titelman (Ed.), Triangles: Bowen family systems theory perspectives (p.3–62). New York, NY: Routledge.
• Vogel, E. and Bell, N. (1976). The emotionally disturbed child as the family scapegoat. In G. Handel (Ed.) The Psychosocial Interior of the Family. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Co.
• Yahav, R. and Sharlin, S. A. (2000). The symptom-carrying child as a preserver of the family unit.Child and Family Social Work, 5, 353-364. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2206.2000.00175.x.
• Yahav, R. and Sharlin, S. A. (2002). Blame and family conflict: Symptomatic children as scapegoats. Child and Family Social Work, 7, 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2206.2002.00231.x.
• Zagefka, H., Jones, J., Caglar, A., Girish, R. and Matos, C. (2020). Family Roles, Family Dysfunction, and Depressive Symptoms. The Family Journal. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/1066480720973418.
• Zastrow, C. and Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2012). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (9thed.). Australia: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
• Wampler, R., Fischer, J., Thomas, M. and Lyness, K. (1993). Young adult offspring and their families of origin: Cohesion, adaptability, and addiction. Journal of Substance Abuse, 5, 195-201. https://doi.org/10.1016/0899-3289(93)90063-H.
• Wampler, R. S., Downs, A. B., and Fischer, J. L. (2009). Development of a Brief Version of the Children’s Roles Inventory (CRI-20). The American Journal of Family Therapy, 37(4), 287–298. doi:10.1080/01926180902754687 Wegscheider, S. (1981). Another chance. Palo Alto. CA: Science and Behavior Books.
• Werner, L. J. and Broida, J. P. (1991). Adult self-esteem and locus of control as a function of familial alcoholism and dysfunction. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 52(3), 249-252. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.1991.52.249.
• Woititz, J. (1983). Adult children of alcoholics. Hollywood, FL: Health Communications.
• Woititz, J. (1987). Home Away from Home. Pompano Beach, FL, Health Communications, Inc.
• Woodside, M. (1983). Children of alcoholic parents: Inherited and psycho-social influences. Journal of Psychiatric Treatment and Evaluation, 5(6), 531–537.