Investigation of the mediation role of interpersonal circumplex model in the relationship between parentification and marital adjustment

Parentification is defined as a special deterioration in the relationship between the parent-child in which parents put child in their parent's position, expect from child to meet their needs and expectations and they impose their role and reponsibility on the child. Eight interpersonal problems which are domineering, vindictive, cold, socially avoidant, nonassertive, exploitable, overly nurturant and intrusive were defined in the interpersonal circumplex model. Marital adjustment is defined as the degree of troublesome marital differences, interpersonal tension and personal anxiety, marital satisfaction, dyadic cohesion, consensus on matters of importance to marital functioning. The relationship between parentification, interpersonal problems and marital adjustment has been showed. The aim of the study is to examine the mediation effect of interpersonal problems in the relationship between parentification and marital adjustment. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the research. 368 married participants were included in quantitative study and 7 married participants were included in qualitative study. Filial Responsibility Scale- Adult Version, The Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems were used in quantitative study. Results showed that there is a mediation effect of domineering-controlling and self-sacrificing interpersonal problems in the relationshiop between parentification and marital adjustment, dyadic consensus. The mediation effect of self-sacrificing interpersonal problem in the relationshiop between parentification and affectional expression was found. It was found that the level of parentification of participants whose parents divorced in childhood was higher than those whose parents did not divorce. Also it was found that the participants who perceived their family's income level as low in childhood had higher levels of parentification than those who perceived high. It is thought that the findings obtained from the qualitative study support the quantitative study results, contribute to the understanding of the concept of parenting, and reveal important aspects that are compatible and differentiated with the literature. It was suggested that therapy techniques specific to parentification could be developed, protective studies for children and adolescents at risk in terms of parenting should be arranged, seminars and informative studies for parents should be organized and the concept of parentificaiton could be evaluate through intercultural studies.