Objective: We examined the association between adult women’s reports of parentification
during childhood and the extent to which basic psychological needs are satisfied in romantic
relationships. We also explored the mediating role of sense of relational entitlement,
pathological concern, and authenticity in relational contexts.
Background: Negative implications of adults’ sense of being parentified as children have
been observed in relational feelings, cognitions, and behavior.
Method: A convenience sample of 225 Israeli young adult women completed self-report
scales tapping retrospective accounts of parentification, basic psychological needs in
romantic relationships, sense of relational entitlement, pathological concern, and relational
authenticity. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlations and a mediation
analysis.
Results: Parentification was associated with lower levels of need satisfaction and authenticity
within romantic relationships and higher levels of pathological concern and either a restricted
or inflated sense of relational entitlement. An inflated sense of relational entitlement and
lack of authenticity mediated the association between women’s reports of parentification and
the extent to which they feel their personal needs are satisfied in romantic relationships.
Conclusion: Women who feel parentified during childhood tend to show negative
expectations of relational mutuality and experience difficulties in disclosing their personal
needs and wishes to a partner, which seem to lead them to feel that their basic psychological
needs are not satisfied in romantic relationships.
Implications: Findings highlight the problematic nature of feelings of being parentified as
children and the importance of helping people who hold these feeling to communicate their
relational needs to a romantic partner.

Keywords: authenticity, couple relationships, need satisfaction, parentification,
pathological concern, relational entitlement