Children as Caregivers: Parental and Parentified Children

This book provides sociological study of the diverse contexts in which children take on adult responsibilities in families and serve as caregivers for their siblings or parents. The author uses symbolic interaction theory to explore the roles of children who assume adult responsibilities in families because of drug or alcohol problems, family size, death of a parent, divorce, dual-worker households, military service, language barriers, physical and mental illness, or incarceration. Family therapists, family sociologists and anyone interested in the study of family relations.