An Exploratory Study on the Concept of Estrangement from Parents Among Unmarried Young Adults

This study aimed to explore the factors constructing the concept of family estrangement from fathers and mothers among unmarried young adult children and analyze the differences in family estrangement levels between the two parents. An online self-report survey was conducted, targeting 427 unmarried young men and women aged 25-29 years who were not living with their parents. Based on previous research, this study developed 40 items reflecting family estrangement and conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on unmarried adult children. The analysis revealed three factors of paternal estrangement: relationship-breaking distancing and limited exchange, conflict and avoidance, and relational dissatisfaction and burden of negative evaluation. Maternal estrangement also comprised three factors: relationship-breaking distancing and burden of negative evaluation, relational dissatisfaction, conflict and avoidance, and limited exchange. Additionally, the findings revealed that the level of paternal estrangement was significantly higher than that of maternal estrangement among unmarried young adult children, regardless of their gender. These findings suggest that parent-adult child estrangement is a multidimensional relational transformation rather than a simple severance. This study is meaningful in identifying the structural components of estrangement from both fathers and mothers and providing foundational data for practical application in family counseling and parental education.