「甘え」理論に依拠した親子関係の役割逆転が形成される心理的プロセスの検証―精神的健康度との関連から

抄録

　　Parent-child role reversal based on “Amae” theory consists of four phenomena: (1) a parent displaying “Amae” to his or her child (denoted here as RR1), (2) the parent not meeting the child’s need for “Amae” which the child has (denoted here as RR2), (3) the child not displaying “Amae” to his or her parent (denoted here as RR3) and (4) the child’s attempting to meet the parent’s need for “Amae” (denoted here as RR4). The former two were considered to be a parent’s role reversal, and the latter two were considered to be a child’s role reversal. The purpose of this study was to empirically verify causal relationships among factors for role reversal and the psychological process by which role reversal harmed a child’s mental health. Previous studies cited in developmental psychopathology, attachment theory and family systems theory contended that a parent’s role reversal was a preceding factor, causing a child’s role reversal. However, the current study assumed that there are two causal relationships, one where a parent’s role reversal is a preceding factor and a child’s role reversal is a subsequent factor, and the other where a child’s role reversal is a preceding factor and a parent’s role reversal is a subsequent factor. In addition, another causal relationship between factors in a parent’s role reversal was also assumed; RR1 caused RR2. A survey was conducted, and 259 high school students responded regarding their mother-child relationship. Focusing on whether the parent’s role reversal or the child’s role reversal was the preceding factor and whether RR1 was causally related to RR2, four models were designed and verified using structure equation modeling (SEM). Based on those results, the following three insights were gained. First, both a parent’s role reversal and a child’s role reversal might cause the other; there was a relatively close association between RR1 and RR4 and between RR2 and RR3. Second, RR1 tended to cause RR2. Third, role reversal in the form of RR3 tended to cause relatively more harm to a child’s mental health.