Parentification in Children Aged 5–6 Years and Its Impact on Free Play and Exploration: A Systematic Literature Review
Abstract
Background: Parentification, in which children take on adult instrumental or emotional responsibilities, has mostly been studied in adolescents and adults; its consequences for young children’s play and exploration remain unclear.
Methods: Following PRISMA 2020, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched (2018–2025); 10 of 93 records were analysed by thematic synthesis.
Results: Parentification lies on a continuum: age-appropriate tasks supported independence and empathy, whereas intense or emotional demands were linked to psychological strain and lost childhood experiences. No empirical study measured it directly at age 5–6.
Novelty: Unlike previous reviews, this study links parentification with young children’s right to play, identifying concrete forms at age 5–6 and proposing a model of how they displace free play and exploration.
Conclusion: Excessive parentification likely reduces both the time and quality of play; direct empirical studies with young children are needed.
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References
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