A Retrospective Study of Daughters' Emotional Role Reversal with Parents, Attachment Anxiety, Excessive Reassurance-Seeking, and Depressive Symptoms

Authors: Katz, Jennifer; Petracca, Michael; Rabinowitz, Jill

Source: American Journal of Family Therapy, Volume 37, Number 3, May 2009 , pp. 185-195(11)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Emotional role reversal occurs when children provide for the emotional needs of their parents. This reversal of the hierarchical family structure can have negative, enduring costs for daughters who primarily provide, rather than receive, nurturance. More specifically, emotional role reversal was expected to foster attachment anxiety and excessive reassurance-seeking, both of which may promote negative long term effects on daughters' emotional well-being. Female undergraduates (N = 163) from intact families provided self-report data on these constructs. Role reversal with mothers predicted daughters' depressive symptoms. This effect was fully mediated by anxious attachment tendencies. Clinical implications of role reversal are discussed.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01926180802405596

Affiliations: 1: SUNY College at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York, USA

Publication date: 2009-05-01

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