Navigating Parentification Dualities: A Qualitative Analysis of Cultural Influences and Growth among South Asian Adults

Abstract This study explores how adults retrospectively interpret childhood parentification impacts and the factors shaping their attribution of positive and negative outcomes. Parentification, where children assume adult caregiving roles, disrupts normative development and influences long-term psychological outcomes. Using a qualitative, interpretive design grounded in social constructivism, ten participants were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling. Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) of interview data was employed to identify key themes. Analysis revealed four themes: Lost Childhood, Cultural Conditioning, Self-Preservation Mechanisms, and Resilience. Participants emphasized how cultural norms and familial dynamics normalized caregiving roles, the emotional toll of lost childhood experiences, and development of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Resilience emerged as a dynamic process facilitated by self-reflection and cognitive growth, enabling transformative reinterpretations of their experiences. This research reveals the intricate interconnection between cultural norms, familial dynamics, and individual coping strategies in shaping the outcomes of parentification. By underscoring the dynamic development of resilience, and by cultivating personal resources the findings advocate for culturally sensitive therapeutic approaches and systemic interventions to support individuals in navigating the challenges of parentification.