The central thesis of this article is that the ideology and structure of
the U.S. family generates excessive parental dependence on children
for validation; self-esteem; and, in some cases, intimacy and that this
dependence is the cornerstone of enmeshed parent-child relationships.
The article concludes with a discussion of alternative approaches to
child rearing. The empirical base for the analysis is the author's clinical
experience and in-depth life-history interviews with 48 Caucasian
men and women of diverse ages and classes.
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