Dyadic interaction of parentification in Chinese families of maternal depression: A qualitative study

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of parent–child dyads to understand the occurrence of parentification in Chinese families affected by parental depression. Utilizing purposive sampling, families were recruited from community mental health services in Hong Kong, focusing on parents with major depressive disorder and their adolescent children. Data were collected from 14 families through in-depth, semistructured interviews with adolescents (n = 8) and parents (n = 12), as well as dyadic interviews (n = 8), and analyzed utilizing thematic analysis. The central theme, “Complementary Dynamic Interaction: Rippled Relationship,” captures the mutual, circular, and reciprocal interactions within parent–adolescent dyads in the context of parental depression. These findings highlight the unique dynamics of parentification in Chinese families affected by parental depression.