Asian Oncol Nurs.  2022 Dec;22(4):245-254. 10.5388/aon.2022.22.4.245.

Influence of Adolescence Parentification on Adulthood Depression in Children of Women with Breast Cancer

• Joung HS
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2537762
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2022.22.4.245

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the levels of adolescence parentification and identify its influence on adulthood depression in children of women with breast cancer.
Methods
This study used a cross-sectional online survey. Data were collected from an online community comprising Korean women with breast cancer and their families. A total of 217 adult children of women with breast cancer completed the online questionnaire. Measurements included the Korean version of the Filial Responsibility ScaleAdult (FRS-A), Korean version of Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Inventory, Korean version of the Resilience Scale (RS14), and the Korean version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale.
Results
The mean score for FRS-A was 2.27 out of 4 points. Adolescence parentification was significantly negatively correlated with adulthood self-esteem (r=-.74, p<.001) and resilience (r=-.72, p<.001), and significantly positively correlated with adulthood depression (r=.76, p<.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that adolescence parentification was a significant factor associated with adulthood depression after adjusting for general characteristics, self-esteem, and resilience.
Conclusion
Our finding suggests that parentification can be stressful for adolescents living with a parent with cancer. Hence, a greater awareness regarding parentification is needed to prevent adolescents from developing depression in their adulthood.

Keyword

Adult children; Breast neoplasms; Depression; Psychological resilience