Cultural Roadblocks

8/13/2019 Cultural Roadblocks

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Running head: CULTURAL ROADBLOCKS 1

Cultural Roadblocks: The Negatie !""ects o" #arenti"ication Roles

On !ducational Attain$ent "or A"rican A$erican Daughters

Tho$as %lunker

&alden Uniersit'


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Abstract

%or the A"rican A$erican daughter( haing to $anage the roles brought about b'

childhood )arenti"ication: sibling caretaking( housekee)ing( household scheduling( and )arenting(

can hae signi"icant re)ercussions on their sel"*estee$( sense o" +orth( )h'sical and $ental health(

as +ell as acade$ic )er"or$ance, &hile so$e studies hae led researchers to discoer that in

s)eci"ic circu$stances( or +ithin certain cultural settings that( "or )ositie e""ects to e$erge is not

unco$$on( the larger )ortion o" studies that e-)lore the real$ o" )arenti"ication tend to e$it a

negatie light on this construct, The )ur)ose o" this )a)er +as to "urther e-)lore this to)ic(

es)eciall' as it )ertains to the i$)act it has on A"rican A$erican girls, B' "irst taking a broader

look at arious ele$ents +ithin adulti"ied.)arenti"ied circu$stances( including brie"l' gli$)sing at

the dierse t')es o" )arenti"ication( one gains a better )ers)ectie into so$e o" the $ain causes o"

these occurrences, Since this construct has had a long relational histor' +ithin the A"rican

A$erican co$$unit'( this )a)er s)eci"icall' atte$)ted to re"ocus attention not onl' on ho+ the

A"rican A$erican daughter has been a""ected b' undertaking these surrogate roles( but also

+hether +ithin the )resence o" the abundantl' aderse outco$es( there +ere o)tions "or )ositie(

long*lasting re$edies( at the local leel( as +ell as the societal leel( +hich in turn could $ini$i/e

or eli$inate the "actors that i$)ede these 'oung ladies "ro$ continuing their high school or

college education, &hile so$e o" the e$)irical data did occasionall' describe the )ositie( li"e*

long skills and characteristics being "ostered( not all o" these daughters gained sel"*con"idence and

resole "ro$ being a )arenti"ied child, O"ten ti$es the )ush*)ull e""ect that e$erged "ro$ being

the res)onsible )art' +ithin the household( in addition to the discouraging social struggles( )oor

slee) habits( and acade$ic challenges( notabl' a""ected li"e at ho$e( and at school, 0n $an' cases(

un"ortunate( debilitating issues inhibited these girls "ro$ )ursuing( or een beginning to


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conte$)late their acade$ic drea$s, 0t is due to these circu$stances that educators( counselors(

and ad$inistrators at the local leels +ithin education( as +ell as ke' stakeholders( including the

)oliticians that a""ect )rogra$$ing( econo$ic."inancial decision*$aking( and societal )lanning at

all leels o" education or the +ork"orce( need receie a +ake*u) call to take a sole$n look at

ho+( and.or i" the circu$stances behind this construct are trul' being addressed, !$)irical

research +ithin the current literature.data cited in this )a)er de)icts $an' o" the negatie

ra$i"ications that o"ten )resent the$seles due to A"rican A$erican daughters assu$ing

)arenti"ied roles, This undoubtedl' includes an' additional roadblocks that could( and does(

i$)ede their chances o" attaining a degree or ac2uiring a di)lo$a,

Cultural Roadblocks: The Negatie !""ects o" #arenti"ication Roles

!ducational Attain$ent "or A"rican A$erican Daughters

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0ntroduction

During the earl' stages o" $' 4aster5s )rogra$( 0 +rote a )a)er that addressed a

)heno$enon called sibling caretaking( or )arenti"ication, This construct is a uni2ue occurrence

that takes )lace +ithin arious as)ects o" our global societ'( ho+eer( +ithin the borders o" the

United States( this )heno$enon can o"ten be "ound +ithin A"rican A$erican households,

Throughout the )a)er( 0 atte$)ted to )roide a balance bet+een the negatie barriers that this

)heno$enon )oses( as +ell as the )ositie e""ects and in"luences that are associated +ithin those

circu$stances,

As 6*'ear educator( es)eciall' during $' "irst 7 to 16 'ears( a si/eable nu$ber o" $'

students "ound the$seles acting as a surrogate )arent "or their siblings due to a ariet' o"

household( societal( and.or socio*econo$ic circu$stances such as: single )arenthood +ith

$ulti)le 8obs( )arental drug abuse( and a )arent5s inabilit' to )roide e$otional su))ort to their

child9ren( +hile e-)ecting to "ul"ill their o+n needs b' $eans o" adulti"'ing their child, Stocker

91;;( un"inished ho$e+ork( and higher

leels stress and tension leading to $oodiness, Un"ortunatel'( the negatie e""ects did not end

there, 0n her article on "a$il' su))ort( Lanita Sledge 961 described the )ush*)ull e""ect that

)arenti"ication has had on these indiiduals( o"ten $aking it challenging to attain a di)lo$a or

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degree( or creating additional restraints that $ake the$ "eel co$)elled to sta' an o""er su))ort

instead o" )ursuing or co$)leting their education,

&ith this in $ind( the chosen to)ic: =Cultural Roadblocks: The Negatie !""ects o"

#arenti"ication Roles on @raduation "or A"rican A$erican Daughters>( sheds so$e e$)irical light

on this o"ten $isunderstood( or oerlooked )heno$enon, U)on entering the "ield o" education(

$' $oties undoubtedl' included )roiding guidance and resources to the students and "a$ilies

that 0 ca$e in contact +ith( in e""orts to increase o))ortunities, These oerarching goals still

re$ain( ho+eer( +ithin this )articular area( $' goal is to take the research that identi"ies the

arious in"luences and )ressures +ithin the con"ines o" sibling caretaking that negatiel' a""ect

graduation "or A"rican A$erican daughters( and use it to establish an ans+er to the 2uestion:

&hat can be done to i$)roe graduation rates "or A"rican A$erican Daughters +ho are sibling

caretakers The ulti$ate goal +ithin this )ro8ect is to generate interentions that +ill sti$ulate

i$)roed and.or increased o))ortunities "or these 'oung +o$en to co$)lete their education,

Problem Statement

A generous a$ount o" the literature regarding the to)ic o" )arenti"ication has highlighted

the roles that A"rican A$erican daughters take on as surrogate )arents( or caretakers "or their

siblings, The literature o"ten sho+s ho+ this )heno$enon can hae a negatie e""ect on their

o))ortunities( resole( and.or e-)ectations to co$)lete high school( or graduate "ro$ college,

A))ro-i$atel' "our 'ears ago oo)er( 4arotta( and De)u' 966; took a si$ilar look at this

to)ic reali/ing that "or indiiduals +ho had e-)erienced this )heno$enon( there +ere docu$ented

li"e altering( detri$ental( and enduring $ental health outco$es,

&hen oo)er et al, 966; addressed this issue s)eci"icall' "ro$ a $ental health

)ers)ectie( the' )ointing out the aderse )osttrau$atic ra$i"ications that ten to ensue "ro$ the


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roles and res)onsibilities that these children generall' "ace +ithin the )arenti"ication construct,

These sa$e authors also 2uoted an der Kolk 966 as he touted this )heno$enon as being one

o" the crucial )ublic health ordeals +ithin the USA, Although there hae been a$)le studies

docu$enting the negatie side*e""ects o" )arenti"ication on issues that hae $ani"ested in the

real$ o" $ental health( such as: #TSD( dissociatie disorders( or other )s'chological di""iculties

9DiCaccao( 66E( this )articular )a)er "ocuses on these occurrences $ore s)eci"icall' "ro$ the

)ers)ectie o" the adulti"ied( or )arenti"ied A"rican A$erican daughter, Belgrae 966; )roided

a 8u$)start "or this 8ourne' as she discussed the arious attitudes( behaiors( and belie"s that are

co$$onl' engrained into these A"rican A$erican girls( t')icall' $eant to e2ui) the$ +ith

"unctional co$)onents like: li"e skills( racial identit'( a $ore concrete ie+ o" sel"( and other

)ractical lessons to hel) naigate the 8ourne', 0n the )rocess o" negotiating so$e o" the $ain

"actors that cause )arenti"ication in children( one o" the ke' goals is to )ur)ose"ull' curb( or

co$)letel' eli$inate( an' "actors that $a' deter these )articular A"rican A$erican daughters "ro$

co$)leting their education +ith a di)lo$a, 0ncluded +ithin this article are t+o )ro)osed

resolutions that call "or e-)licit actions to take )lace be it locall'( or societall'( and that s)eci"ic

resources be allocated to i$)roe these odds,

Integrated Literature Review

Prelude to the Literature

Throughout the 1;66s nu$erous studies +ere conducted that deled into a little kno+n

societal )redica$ent in +hich children took on roles and res)onsibilities( or +ere e-)osed to

in"or$ation that +ould hae )reiousl' been resered "or adults 9Burton( 66


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)heno$enon still has i$)act"ul( long*ter$ ra$i"ications toda', Burnett( Fones( Bli+ise( and Ross

966E studied ho+ the un)redictabilit' o" a "a$il'5s circu$stances( or the addiction.)roneness

to+ard alcohol could be a catal'st in the instigation o" the )arenti"cation construct, oo)er(

4arotta( and Lanthier 966, These res)onsibilities hae also included acting as a )ro-' )arent to their siblings, oo)er

9611 e-)lained that it is )ossible "or adolescents to bene"it deelo)$entall' "ro$ taking on

controlled or su)erised care giing res)onsibilities "ro$ ti$e to ti$e, Neertheless( +hen

adolescents assu$e adult*like roles on a habitual basis( it is then that the ter$ =)arenti"ication> is

used( as these res)onsibilities are be'ond the conentional e$otional( and.or a))ro)riate

deelo)$ental roles that children undertake, As &illia$s and %rancis 9616 )ointed out( this

role reersal has taken on the $ore co$)rehensie ter$( )arenti"ication, 0n this article( the

authors +ent be'ond )roiding a basic descri)tion o" )arenti"ication( b' o""ering a $ore concise

dissection o" the actual roles and duties +ithin this )articular occurrence, &illia$s and %rancis

9616 also deled into the )s'chological nature o" this )heno$enon( to e-)lore +hat )articular

circu$stances $a' negatiel' or )ositiel' a""ect the likelihood that these children +ill either


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battle stages o" de)ression( or b')ass the negatie stig$a that )arenti"ication o"ten is associated

+ith( in e-change "or "ul"illed drea$s and genuine ha))iness( una""ected b' the nature o" this

e-)erience,

Merits vs. Drawbacs

0n re"erence to the title o" this )a)er( the larger )ortion o" research on this to)ic tends to

circu$scribe to the detri$ental outco$es associated +ith )arenti"ication( $ore s)eci"icall' as to

ho+ this )heno$enon( as a cultural construct( can negatiel' a""ect graduation "or A"rican

A$erican daughters +ho $odel )arenti"ied roles and res)onsibilities, Belgrae 966;

underscored the strengths and resilienc' o" the adolescent A"rican A$erican girl, The author

)ointed out the tendenc' "or these 'oung ladies to carr' the$seles +ith con"idence( and hae

high sel"*estee$, The' are o"ten guided b' a higher cause( including religious and s)iritual

conictions( and o"ten hae lo"t'( but ethical( e-)ectations o" the$seles, Un"ortunatel'( $an' o"

the surrounding circu$stances( such as: "a$il' un)redictabilit'( )arental association +ith alcohol

and.or drugs 9Burnett( et al,( 66E( single )arent households tied in +ith )oert'( and other

di""icult socio*econo$ic ele$ents 9Burton( 66


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)roided a connection bet+een single )arent "a$ilies( and lo+ socio*econo$ic eniron$ents( in

re"erence to the )realence o" )arenti"ication, 0n $an' o" these cases( the literature tended not

)ut this )heno$enon in er' good light( een i" the )arenti"ied child )roed er' ca)able as a

substitute, Burnett et al, 966E )ointed out that at ti$es te$)orar' )arenti"ication can be a

bene"icial tool +ithin households, o+eer( the research also e-)lained that the construct is

belieed to be $ost )roble$atic +hen )arents.guardians )lace children into roles "or +hich the'

are e-)ected to habituall' continue to e-ecute )arent*like res)onsibilities( to the e-tent that the'

beco$e de)endent u)on these serices, 0n their research( Burnett( et al, 966E stried to gather

data that +ould delineate +hat e""ect( i" an'( )arental alcoholis$( and "a$il' un)redictabilit'

$ight hae had in the origination o" )arenti"ication, The alcoholis$ co$)onent +as 2uite

e-)licit( ho+eer un)redictabilit' brought a +hole arra' o" circu$stances( +hich could hae

included: inconsistent disci)line( s)oradic and inconsistent dis)la's o" nurturance( a lack o"

$ealti$e rituals( or inconsistent or li$ited "inancial resources, According to the re)ort( "a$il'

un)redictabilit' +as o"ten linked to alcoholis$, Since a household that is acco$)anied b'

)arental alcoholis$( has a higher leel o" un)redictabilit'( children +ithin those ho$es $a' o"ten

"eel alienated( and unbalanced or out*o"*control 9Burnett( et al,( 66E, Their theor' suggested

that )arenti"ication +ithin this t')e o" household +ould allo+ "or so$e consistenc' and balance(

in the $idst o" the habitual chaos, As had been )redicted( both "a$il' un)redictabilit'( and

)arental alcoholis$( each )la'ed inde)endentl' signi"icant roles in the incite$ent o"

)arenti"ication, &hile this stud' did not "ocus on the ethic.racial background o" the indiiduals( it

did also rea""ir$ that +ithin this )articular sa$)le stud'( "e$ales tended to be $ore likel' to

re)ort being )arenti"ied than $ales 9Burnett( et al,( 66E,

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The interconnectiit' o" "actors surrounding )arenti"ication does allo+ "or )redictions as

to +hether )arenti"ied children can success"ull' naigate the obstacles o" dail' li"e( and school(

eentuall' )rogressing consistentl' to+ard graduation, As oo)er( 4arotta( and Lanthier 9667

cone'ed( there are indicators o" )osttrau$atic gro+th "or indiiduals +ho hae undergone

)arenti"ication, This data led the$ to beliee that this )articular construct $a' not al+a's be an

indication o" )roble$s to co$e, Si$ilar to Belgrae5s e-)lanation o" the resilienc' o" the A"rican

A$erican girl 966;( this stud' conducted b' oo)er( et al, 9667 "ound that the resilience

"actor( a"ter occurrences o" )arenti"ication $altreat$ent naigated a 1?G ariance in

)osttrau$atic gro+th, o+eer( een +ith using the data and the $odels "ro$ +ithin their

research( their stud' )roided onl' li$ited )rogressie data in "aor o" )arenti"ication, The stud'

looked at instrumental)arenti"ication( +hich o""ered so$e bene"icial co$)onents due to the

strengths and skills that $a' be ac2uired( but it also looked "or the conse2uences o" * emotional

)arenti"ication( +hich o"ten +as linked to distress and increased risks, oo)er( et al, 9667

suggested that )arenti"ication be e-a$ined in a $ulti"actor "or$at in "uture studies( since there

+ere encouraging as)ects associated +ith their stud', #aired +ith the strong( )ositie identit'

$aintained b' the A"rican A$erican girl described b' Belgrae 966;( there could be increased

su))ort( although $eager( "or the )ro$otion o" a er' s)eci"ic and guided conce)t o"

)arenti"ication,

Un"ortunatel'( the negatie ele$ents o" )arenti"ication( es)eciall' +ith res)ect to A"rican

A$erican girls( are o"ten co$)ounded b' the co$)eting de$ands on her ti$e 9Belgrae( 66;,

&hile the A"rican A$erican daughter can be a sel"*con"ident( s)iritual( and "ocused indiidual(

+hen the res)onsibilities o" $aintaining good grades( and being a good "riend to others 9+ho also

$a' be surrounded b' dra$a is acco$)anied b' the role o" being a caretaker.surrogate $other to

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siblings( Belgrae 966; ad$itted that this +as enough to e-hibit the un"ortunate realities o"

haing high e-)ectations( 'et lie in a co$)le- eniron$ent, Additionall'( +hile the A"rican

A$erican girl $a' t')icall' e-)ect to graduate "ro$ high school( and een go to college( $an' o"

the a"ore $entioned li"e*course e-)ectations hae been in"luenced b' co$$unit'( eniron$ental(

and )ersonal "actors, 0n situations inoling )arenti"ication( one o" the crucial co$)onentsHthe

)arental.college role $odel( has o"ten be absent, &hether resilienc' in )osttrau$atic gro+th(

+hich is the cause "or leading the charge on "uture studies )ro$oting )arenti"ication 9oo)er( et

al,( 667( or i" Burton 966


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all 9667 )ointed out( es)eciall' as educators( counselors( and "a$il' thera)ists deal +ith

circu$stances +ithin lo+er socio*econo$ic eniron$ents in +hich these constructs are o"ten

$ore )realent, To illustrate this )oint( Burton 966


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Studies hae sho+n that this )heno$enon $ost o"ten takes )lace +hen the "a$il'

structure is disorderl'( or has beco$e $uddled, At ti$es this co$es about due to an un"ortunate

disru)tion +ithin the household( +hich o"ten has an a""ect on "a$il' routines, &illia$s and

%rancis 9616 e-)and on this a bit "urther b' )ointing out that )arenti"ication can occur +ithin

the con"ines o" a +ide range o" "a$il' conditions, %or instance( so$e o" these s)eci"ic

circu$stances $a' include: a )arent beco$ing ter$inall' ill( a debilitated )arent or sibling( or

)arent +ho battles issues +ith alcohol or drugs 9Stein( Rothera$*Borus( J Lester( 66


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ste$s "ro$ a belie" that these roles "oster and re"lect interde)endence( and collectiistic cultural

alues( instead o" a social abnor$alit' 9Stein( Rothera$*Borus( J Lester( 66


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res)onsibilit' and rein"orces other li"e skills, The assistance that these girls )roide can o""er an

o))ortunit' "or the "a$il' to sae $one'( +hile also o""ering a household structure that )roides

an orderl' schedule that $a' be bene"icial not 8ust to their siblings( but also to the$ 9Belgrae(

66;,

The e-tensie research on this to)ic also )oints out the negatie a""ects that the construct

o" )arenti"ication )resents in the deelo)$ent o" the A"rican A$erican daughter, Lanita Sledge

961 e-)ressed the notion that these girls alread' deal +ith a s$aller su))ort s'ste$( +hich is

necessar' to encourage the )ro)er "ocus and $odeling in areas such as: sel"*estee$( health'

alues and racial identit' 9Belgrae( 66;, 0n addition( these )arental roles o"ten restrict( or

i$)ede( the )rogress that could be $ade in social do$ains( as +ell as in acade$ic li"e

9DiCaccao( 66EI Sledge 61, Research suggests that these )arental roles can o"ten cause

A"rican A$erican daughters to be caught in a )ush*)ull t')e o" eniron$ent( es)eciall' as the'

begin to "ocus on li"e a"ter high school( and the )ossibilit' o" )ursuing a degree 9Sledge( 61,

&hether the )arenti"ied role +as assu$ed out o" the need to care "or an elderl' or inca)acitated

)arent( or +as "orced on the daughter b' a sudden disorgani/ation o" the household structure( the

e$otional struggle that ensues due to the continual su))ort "or the "a$il'( o"ten takes )recedence

oer their o+n deelo)$ent( and.or education 9Belgrae( 66;I Sledge( 61,

Children +ho assu$e the roles o" sibling caretakers are o"ten "orced to gro+ u).$ature

2uickl', &hile the s)eci"ic duties that the )arenti"ied child $a' hae can ar'( research has

sho+n that )arenti"ication can be e-tre$el' e$otional 9oo)er( 4arotta( J Lanthier( 66


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)s'chological +eight assu$ed or )laced u)on the$( can be a he"t' +eight and in $an' cases

)s'chologicall' oer+hel$ing,

%ritical Analysis.

Not+ithstanding the "act that the )arenti"ication )heno$enon has been an integral

occurrence +ithin nu$erous cultural settings "or $an' 'ears( the child*)arent( or sibling caretaker

conce)t has reall' onl' been e-a$ined in greater detail going back to the 1;76s, There are

co)ious reasons "or +hich a child $a' be e-)ected to take on the role o" surrogate )arent( or

$ain caregier to siblings( )erha)s een the household in its entiret', So$e "or$ o" disru)tion

$a' o"ten occur +ithin the "a$il'.household that creates +hat &illia$s and %rancis 9616

re"erred to as a disorgani/ed "a$il' s'ste$, The )roble$ $a' be due to a ariet' o"

circu$stances: ter$inal illness( a )s'chological condition( or a $ental disorder, #erha)s the issue

+as generated b' the consu$)tion and abuse o" alcohol and.or drugs, &hile )arenti"ication $a'

be instigated b' an arra' o" di""ering "actors or li"e circu$stances( there are )lent' o" )ersistent

and +ides)read conditions that hae $ade this )heno$enon +orth e-)anded e-)lorator'

research,

&illia$s and %rancis 9616 o""ered t+o )ossible designations that are later reiterated b'

arrison and Albanese 961 in their article on )arenti"ication in relation to $ilitar'

de)lo'$ents, These designations( instru$ental and e$otional( hae be used to describe the child*

)arent5s role +ithin these t')es o" circu$stances, This "irst categor' is de"ined as the caring "or

)h'sical needs( such as "eeding the siblings( or een $aking sure the bills get )aid, The second

de)icts $ore o" the )s'chological real$( as the child $a' also be the e$otional su))ort and

con"idant to the )arent9s( as +ell as to their o+n siblings 9&illia$s J %rancis( 616,

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&hile this )a)er +eighs the e""ects o" )arenti"ication on the A"rican A$erican daughter(

+ith an e-)ressed "ocus on her ca)abilities and.or $otiation to gain an education( it is a))arent

that $an' di""erent "actors are notabl' )resent, No single reason takes center stage as being the

$ain cause o" this "or$ o" adulti"ication, &ong Ta$ 966; e-)lained that )arenti"ication is a

co$)licated construct( "or +hich a )lethora o" co$bined "actors e-ist, 4oreoer( this )a)er5s

co$)rehensie anal'sis alludes to the occasional( but )otential bene"its o" e-)eriencing these

)arenti"ied roles: increased co)ing skills( social co$)etence 9&illia$s J %rancis( 616(

cultiating res)onsibilit' 9Stein( Rothera$*Borus( and Lester( 66


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o))ortunit' is o)en( and the ca)abilities and kno+ledge are 2uite obious( dut' to ho$e and

siblings )ulls the$ a+a' "ro$ the o)tions to co$)lete or continue their education,

oo)er( et al, 961 reealed so$e crucial bits o" in"or$ation releant to )arenti"ication

and adulti"ication constructs( s)eci"icall' "ro$ the stance o" Black A$ericans and A"rican

A$ericans, 0t is i$)ortant to note that $uch o" the older research that e-ists +as originall' based

on )o)ulations that +ere largel' +hite, o+eer( oo)er( et al, 961( and Belgrae 966;

both indicated( there are signi"icant di""erences in ho+ cultural identit' a""ects this )heno$enon,

&hile )hrases such as: neglect( abuse( or )arental alienation( $a' o"ten be used in association

+ith the ins and outs o" )arenti"ication( it needs to be understood that +ithin so$e cultures( the

idea o" adulti"ied roles( es)eciall' that o" the sibling caretaker( is ie+ed as the nor$( and is

actuall' highl' regarded in alue, Stein( Rothera$*Borus( and Lester 966


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Since there are seeral di""erent causes associated +ith )arenti"ication( the resolutions $a'

ar' de)ending on the circu$stances, %or e-a$)le( an A"rican A$erican daughter $a' be an

e-cellent student( "ull o" )otential and +it( ho+eer( the o)tion o" leaing ho$e "or college to

increase the )ossibilities o" esca)ing the )resent circu$stances( is tru$)ed b' the guilt o" needing

to care "or siblings because she lies in a single )arent setting( and $o$ is al+a's +orking to

$ake ends $eet, 0n order to resole this dile$$a( it is i$)eratie that a $onu$ental

trans"or$ation +ithin societ' occur to eli$inate the longstanding and current institutional

obserance o" racis$ that has denied entr' "or $ultitudes o" A"rican A$ericans."e$ales to social

establish$ents( 9Anderson( 1;;; including: decent housing( to) notch education( and gain"ul

e$)lo'$ent "or those +ho trul' are longing "or these rea$)ed o))ortunities, This $onu$ental

u)grade e2uiocall' +ould need to include a change +ithin the as)ects o" u)+ard $obilit',

o+eer( it can also be argued that these sa$e issues hae been a catal'st "or the encourage$ent

o" interde)endence a$ongst this collectiist and s)iritual societ'( des)ite being surrounded b'

traditional and historical !uro*&estern ie+s, %or those adults.)arents +ho don5t "eel

)arenti"ication is a )roble$atic issue 9&illert( 663

%ommunity "ducation

&hile the )reious resolution "ocuses on the societal leel( there is a $ore )ractical local(

co$$unit' based res)onse to the issue o" )arenti"ication( es)eciall' since this )heno$enon has

had the ca)abilities to th+art education achiee$ent, Connie Sisko+ski 961 )ointed out that

+ith oer 1,3 $illion child caregiers in the United States( in addition to concerns such as:

)h'sical strain( e$otional distress( and loss o" childhood( there are signi"icant sociali/ation

i$)acts( as +ell as acade$ic challenges, Burton 966; stated that $an' o" the indiiduals and

)rogra$s that )ositioned to +ork +ith )arenti"ied children( $ight actuall' do $ore har$ than

?


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taken on the bulk o" the res)onsibilities that +ould t')icall' be assu$ed b' the )arent, &hile 0

hae been oertl' a+are o" this )heno$enon since the 1;;6s( 0 began to think back to $'

childhood( and started to recall s)eci"ic circu$stances in $' neighborhood that indicated ho+

long ersions o" this construct has been occurring, ears later( it 2uickl' beca$e a))arent ho+

signi"icant an e""ect these dis)arate circu$stances had on school aged children( as a si/eable

nu$ber o" students indicated e-)eriencing "irst*hand +hat it $eant to be )arenti"ied child, All o"

this occurred( in addition to naigating o+n needs and acade$ic res)onsibilities,

Throughout this )a)er( 0 $ainl' "ocused on one )iece o" this uni2ue )u//le( the A"rican

A$erican daughter, 0n the end( the goal +as to )oint out +hat t')e o" $indset +ould be

necessar' to i$)roe the nu$ber o" )arenti"ied girls that +ould graduate "ro$ college( or een

high school, There is no doubt that +ith onl' ski$$ing the sur"ace( 0 +ill be able to incor)orate

the ste)s( background research( and )ro)er oice gained "ro$ this )a)er( to continue to $ore

thoroughl' address the causes o" this )heno$enon( on a co$$unit' leel 9+ithin schools(

churches( co$$unit' centers( etc,( and.or on a larger societal leel 9goern$ent( cor)orations(

and co$e u) +ith resolutions, At sa$e ti$e there $a' be other areas si$ilar to this construct

that could be addressed( cul$inating in )ositie social change and action, 4an' o" these issues

still $a' be an a"terthought in oerall sche$e o" social change,

There are seeral things that this course did "or $e, 0t "orced $e to look dee)er into the

$an' causes o" the adulti"ication.)arenti"ication s)ectru$, &here and ho+ did all o" this begin

&as it on account o" haing a sick or elderl' )arent Did it occur due to haing a )arent that

+orked $ulti)le 8obs to $ake ends $eet( thus not being aailable "or the children &as it

because o" one or $ore )arents haing an issue +ith drugs and.or alcohol This to)ic goes $uch

dee)er than +hat 0 +as able to address in this )a)er, Nonetheless( 0 did en8o' the "or$at o" this


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course( as it allo+ed $e to "ocus on a )articular area o" the )a)er each +eek( in addition to

increasing $' kno+ledge regarding the arious co$)onents o" a Ca)stone.Thesis, This )rocess

hel)ed re$ind $e that a 8ourne' has arious )arts( each taking )lace at its o+n ti$e( but through

deter$ination and dedication( the end result does hae the )otential o" bene"iting others( +hich

ulti$atel'( is our goal as )ractitioners.agents o" social change,

Re"erences

Belgrae( %, M, 966;,African American girls: Reframing perceptions and changing

experiences. Dordrecht( Netherlands: S)ringer,

Brod'( @, ,( 4urr'( , 4, 9661, Sibling sociali/ation o" co$)etence in rural single )arent

A"rican A$erican "a$ilies,Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, ;;E *1667,

Burton( L, 966


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Family !tudies( "69?( 3;*3?, doi:16,1111.8,1


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@arber( B, D, 9611, #arental alienation and the d'na$ics o" the en$eshed )arentchild

d'ad: Adulti"ication( )arenti"ication( and in"antili/ation,Family *ourt Re0ie-( $)9(

3*33, doi:16,1111.8,1


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construct,Journal f Family 'sychology( 9?( E33*E?, doi:16,163

Cultural Roadblocks

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