Parentification in military families: Overlapping constructs and theoretical explorations in family, clinical, and military psychology

This article reviews select literature that describes unique aspects of the challenges, roles, and responsibilities that family members may face as a result of the military culture and military family system. A particular systemic construct and clinical process that may be especially relevant to military families is parentification. Parentification has long been linked with negative outcomes investigated in the family and clinical psychology literature. This article summarizes the overlap in constructs and theoretical frameworks related to parentification, which appear in the family and clinical psychology literature that may have transportability to the youth and family military literature base. Directions for future family, clinical, and military psychology research directed toward youth and family functioning are proffered. •Review literature on parentification and its relevance to military families.•Connect three literature bases (clinical, family, and military) on parentification.•Describe antecedents and aftereffects of parentification in military families.•Summarize implications for family-focused therapists, educators, and policy makers.