Wednesday, September 12, 2007

When children are little adults

We all know children who prematurely assume adult roles in the family, either because they are pushed into them or have no choice. This isn't only a function of dysfunctional families, either. Think of the mother who becomes chronically ill and her 10-year-old becomes her caretaker while older siblings have after-school responsibilities; a father who suffers a disability and a teen son works two after-school jobs to help the family stay afloat. What about the immigrant parents whose young child is the family's only proficient English speaker, and becomes not only the family's translator but also the family's worrier?

I've always wondered what happens to these children when they become adults themselves. Now there's a study that looks at adultified children in families of poverty. The study, published in the October issue of Family Relations (click here for the abstract), is the work of sociologist Linda Burton of Duke University.

One result shows that children who have adult mentoring when they assume an adult role can have improved self-confidence. More likely, though, the children suffer from high levels of depression and anxiety, the study finds. The study concludes by recommending the creation of programs to help these children manage their social and emotional lives and to give them "respites" from their responsibilities. It also urges teachers and other professionals in their lives to better understand the phenomenon.

Posted by Barbara Meltz at 11:08 AM

Print | E-mail to a friend | Permalink | Subscribe via rss