Parentification refers to the role reversal of children who take on adult responsibility to care for family members. This role is often filled by Mexican-American children as a result of immigration and assimilation. This study explored the relationship between parentification and adult romantic relationship satisfaction among first-generation Mexican-American adults, with particular attention to the moderating roles of attachment styles and perceived unfairness. While earlier research has linked parentification to mental health challenges, few studies have examined its long-term impact on intimate relationships, including relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner violence. A total of 132 participants completed an online survey using validated measures of parentification, language brokering, attachment, relationship satisfaction, and intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, multiple moderation regression analyses, and chi-square tests. The results revealed a nonsignificant relationship between parentification and intimate partner satisfaction. Further, attachment styles and perceived unfairness did not moderate this relationship. However, parentification was found to be significantly associated with intimate partner violence. These findings suggest the complex impact of cultural values on childhood role reversals and indicate that parentification may serve as a risk factor for relational safety in adulthood.
","abstract_html":"<p>Parentification refers to the role reversal of children who take on adult responsibility to care for family members. This role is often filled by Mexican-American children as a result of immigration and assimilation. This study explored the relationship between parentification and adult romantic relationship satisfaction among first-generation Mexican-American adults, with particular attention to the moderating roles of attachment styles and perceived unfairness. While earlier research has linked parentification to mental health challenges, few studies have examined its long-term impact on intimate relationships, including relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner violence. A total of 132 participants completed an online survey using validated measures of parentification, language brokering, attachment, relationship satisfaction, and intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, multiple moderation regression analyses, and chi-square tests. The results revealed a nonsignificant relationship between parentification and intimate partner satisfaction. Further, attachment styles and perceived unfairness did not moderate this relationship. However, parentification was found to be significantly associated with intimate partner violence. These findings suggest the complex impact of cultural values on childhood role reversals and indicate that parentification may serve as a risk factor for relational safety in adulthood.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Perez, Ana K"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Clinical Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Leah Horvath, PhD","Lucia Lopez, PsyD","Bradley Olson, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2027,"date_issued":"2027-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2027-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:38Z","subjects":["parentification","relationship satisfaction","Mexican American","Intimate partner violence","Clinical Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/933","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Leah Horvath, PhD","Lucia Lopez, PsyD","Bradley Olson, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Perez, Ana K"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-09-30T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Clinical Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["parentification","relationship satisfaction","Mexican American","Intimate partner violence","Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/933"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Parentification refers to the role reversal of children who take on adult responsibility to care for family members. This role is often filled by Mexican-American children as a result of immigration and assimilation. This study explored the relationship between parentification and adult romantic relationship satisfaction among first-generation Mexican-American adults, with particular attention to the moderating roles of attachment styles and perceived unfairness. While earlier research has linked parentification to mental health challenges, few studies have examined its long-term impact on intimate relationships, including relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner violence. A total of 132 participants completed an online survey using validated measures of parentification, language brokering, attachment, relationship satisfaction, and intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, multiple moderation regression analyses, and chi-square tests. The results revealed a nonsignificant relationship between parentification and intimate partner satisfaction. Further, attachment styles and perceived unfairness did not moderate this relationship. However, parentification was found to be significantly associated with intimate partner violence. These findings suggest the complex impact of cultural values on childhood role reversals and indicate that parentification may serve as a risk factor for relational safety in adulthood.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Familismo: Exploring a Culturally Sensitive Correlation Between Parentification and Relationship Satisfaction Amongst First Generation Mexican-American Adults Through an Attachment Theory Lens"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Leah Horvath, PhD","Lucia Lopez, PsyD","Bradley Olson, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Perez, Ana K"],"dc:date.available":["2025-09-30T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Parentification refers to the role reversal of children who take on adult responsibility to care for family members. This role is often filled by Mexican-American children as a result of immigration and assimilation. This study explored the relationship between parentification and adult romantic relationship satisfaction among first-generation Mexican-American adults, with particular attention to the moderating roles of attachment styles and perceived unfairness. While earlier research has linked parentification to mental health challenges, few studies have examined its long-term impact on intimate relationships, including relationship satisfaction and experiences of intimate partner violence. A total of 132 participants completed an online survey using validated measures of parentification, language brokering, attachment, relationship satisfaction, and intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, multiple moderation regression analyses, and chi-square tests. The results revealed a nonsignificant relationship between parentification and intimate partner satisfaction. Further, attachment styles and perceived unfairness did not moderate this relationship. However, parentification was found to be significantly associated with intimate partner violence. These findings suggest the complex impact of cultural values on childhood role reversals and indicate that parentification may serve as a risk factor for relational safety in adulthood.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/933"],"dc:subject":["parentification","relationship satisfaction","Mexican American","Intimate partner violence","Clinical Psychology"],"dc:title":["Familismo: Exploring a Culturally Sensitive Correlation Between Parentification and Relationship Satisfaction Amongst First Generation Mexican-American Adults Through an Attachment Theory Lens"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Clinical Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:38Z"}