From Burden to Bonding: Parentification Indirectly Enhances Marital Flourishing Through Parenting Efficacy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24156/jikk.2026.19.2.126Keywords:
marital flourishing, marriage, parentification, parenting efficacy, young parentsAbstract
Previous studies on the impact of parentification have yielded mixed findings; yet, the specific link between early parentification and marital flourishing, with parenting efficacy as a mediating factor, remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating role of parenting efficacy in the relationship between parentification and marital flourishing among young Indonesian parents. Two hundred fifty-six young Indonesian parents (ages 20–40) completed the survey using convenience sampling. A mediation analysis in JASP was used to examine the relationships among the variables. Results confirmed positive correlations between parentification and parenting efficacy (r = 0.500, p < 0.01), between parentification and marital flourishing (r = 0.190, p < 0.01), and between parenting efficacy and marital flourishing (r = 0.214, p < 0.001). While the direct effect of parentification on marital flourishing was not significant (B = 0.062, SE = 0.040, p = 0.116), its indirect effect through parenting efficacy was significant (B = 0.045, SE = 0.020, p = 0.028, 95% CI [0.005, 0.085]), indicating an indirect-only mediation effect. These findings suggest that parenting efficacy may represent one pathway linking parentification to marital flourishing. Therefore, interventions designed to enhance parenting efficacy might prove beneficial for individuals with a history of parentification.
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