Forms of Parentification

Parentification can occur in two ways:

• emotional parentification when a young child is forced to meet the emotional needs of their parent(s), siblings or other family members, on a regular/daily basis.
• instrumental parentification is like emotional parentification but in terms of physical and material aspects. Parents who either shy away from or have no care or consideration for practical duties and responsibilities can push their child to take on the roles they are neglecting.