Patterns of Parentification, Health, and Life Satisfaction: A Cluster Analysis

• Published in: Contemporary family therapy 2024-03, Vol.46 (1), p.21-36
• Main Authors: Tomek, Sara, Borchet, Judyta, Jiang, Shan, Dębski, Maciej, Hooper, Lisa M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Anniversaries; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Caregiving; Clinical outcomes; Clinical Psychology; Cluster analysis; Family; Family structure; Family therapy; Health research; Health status; Life satisfaction; Mental health; Original Paper; Parents & parenting; Polls & surveys; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Work; Sociology; Teenagers; Youth
• ISSN: 0892-2764; 1573-3335
• DOI: 10.1007/s10591-023-09668-7

The primary aims of the current study were to explore differences among adolescent parentification profiles and to determine the extent to which those profiles are linked to physical health and life satisfaction among adolescents. While parentification roles in adolescents have been found to be detrimental to mental health outcomes, minimal research has focused on its relation to other outcomes (e.g., physical health outcomes). Also, there is a dearth of empirically-supported knowledge on how family culture might shape those outcomes. A large sample of Polish-speaking adolescents ( N  = 41,162 adolescents aged 12–21 years old) participated in a survey research study focused on family structure and adolescent functioning. We used cluster analysis to identify patterns of parent caregiving and to explore associations between those patterns and health and life satisfaction. Cluster analysis techniques identified five parent caregiving profiles: (a) satisfied emotional parent caregiving, (b) dissatisfied youth with moderate levels of parent caregiving, (c) satisfied youth with low levels of parent caregiving, (d) dissatisfied youth with low levels of parent caregiving, and (e) conflicted parent caregiving. Mean levels of physical health and life satisfaction were found to be highest for adolescents in the following cluster profiles: “ satisfied emotional parent caregiving ” and “ conflicted parent caregiving .” The lowest means were found in the following cluster profiles: “ dissatisfied youth with moderate levels of parent caregiving ” and “ satisfied youth with low levels of parent caregiving .” The results of all analyses are discussed as well as implications for future research and family therapy.