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Parentification Scale

Were you 'parentified' as a child? Take this test to find out.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

September 9, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Parentification occurs when a child assumes roles typically held by a parent—either by providing emotional support or taking on responsibilities that are inappropriate for a child. This pressure can significantly influence a child's emotional development, leading to long-term impacts and adult trauma.

Adults who were parentified may become overly self-reliant or emotionally distant while also struggling with setting boundaries in relationships. In later years, this can lead to difficulties forming healthy attachments, resentment, low self-esteem and an overwhelming sense of responsibility in personal or professional life

The parentification scale offers a structured approach to evaluating emotional and practical forms of parentification, clearly assessing who may have experienced this dynamic. This can be useful for individuals seeking to understand the impact of early family dynamics on their current emotional well-being.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Mika, P., Bergner, R. M., & Baum, M. C.(1987). The development of a scale for the assessment of parentification. Family Therapy, 14. 229-235.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. My parents asked for my advice when making a decision about my siblings' misbehavior.

2. My parents shared intimate secrets (e.g., concerning relationships and/or sexual issues) with me.

3. My parents discussed their financial issues and problems with me.

4. My mother shared personal problems and concerns with me as if I were another adult.

5. My father shared personal problems and concerns with me as if I were another adult.

6. One parent would come to me to discuss the other parent.

7. When my parents would argue, I would wind up on the side of one of them.

8. One (or both) of my parents asked for my input (rather than my other parent's input) when making an important decision.

9. My parents let me have a lot of influence when making important adult decisions.

10. I was the mediator or "go-between" when conflict arose between my parents.

11. I consoled one or both of my parents when they were distressed.

12. If my parents became physically ill, I was responsible for taking care of them.

13. My parents sought my advice on adult matters.

14. I restored peace if conflicts developed between my parents.

15. I babysat for my younger siblings.

16. If my parents were away for more than 24 hours, I was the main person who assumed responsibility for my siblings.

17. When one of my siblings had a personal concern, they came to me for advice.

18. I was responsible for bathing my siblings.

19. When my siblings had problems, I took a lot of responsibility for solving them.

20. I was responsible for dressing my siblings or ensuring that they got dressed.

21. I was responsible for deciding what action to take if one of my siblings misbehaved, even when my parents were present.

22. I was the mediator or "go-between" when conflict arose between my siblings.

23. I made rules, spoken or unspoken, for my siblings.

24. I would decide what time my siblings went to bed for the evening, even when my parents were home.

25. I provided emotional support and/or comfort for my siblings.

26. My siblings came to me when they were having difficulties with our parents.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.