Parent-Child Triangulation Scale in Parents’ Marital Conflict – Chinese Version

Description

The concept of parent-child triangulation, also known as family triangulation, was first proposed by American psychotherapist Bowen in 1966. Bowen believed that when parents experience marital conflict and their relationship is strained, they may unconsciously involve their children in these tensions, or children may actively intervene to alleviate family stress and anxiety, thus maintaining emotional balance and stability within the family. This dynamic results in the formation of a parent-child triangulation. Subsequent researchers’ discussions on triangulation have been based on Bowen’s findings. Taiwanese scholars later defined parent-child triangulation as a mechanism through which parents invoke their children during conflicts to maintain their marriage (Guo Mengyu, 2003). Comparing definitions by Guo Mengyu and Bowen, we can see the former overlooks the possibility of children actively intervening in their parents’ strained relationships. Wang Meiping and Wang Zhaona (2014) defined parent-child triangulation as a negative interactive pattern where children, either coerced or voluntarily, participate in mitigating the conflict between parents, forming a “mother-child/father-child” relationship.

Authors and Contact Email

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Purpose

This research aims to explore the dynamics and implications of parent-child triangulation in contexts where parental relationships become strained.

Test Year

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Administration Method and Scoring

The parent-child triangulation scale in parents’ marital conflict assesses the degree to which children are involved in parental conflicts and responsibilities.

Reliability and Validity

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Factors and Subscales

The study categorizes parent-child triangulation into three main categories and six subcategories:
1. 代罪羊 (scapegoat)
– 攻击性迂回 (aggressive detour)
– 支持性迂回 (supportive detour)
2. 跨代同盟 (cross-generational coalition)
– 非固定同盟 (non-fixed coalition)
– 固定同盟 (fixed coalition)
3. 亲职化 (parentification)
– 功能性亲职化 (functional parentification)
– 情绪性亲职化 (emotional parentification)

Keywords

Parent-child triangulation, marital conflict, emotional dynamics, family systems theory, child involvement, negative interaction patterns.

Items in Chinese

1. 我觉得爸妈会吵架都是因为我的关系。
2. 照顾爸爸妈妈是我该做的事。
3. 当爸妈争吵时，爸爸(或妈妈)会要我和他站到一方。
4. 我觉得爸妈会吵架都是他们其中一个人的错。
5. 当爸妈争吵时，我觉得我一定要出来和解。
6. 爸妈会因为讨论我的问题而吵架。
7. 如果我表现的再好一点，那么爸爸妈妈就不会吵架了。
8. 当爸妈争吵时，我要帮其中一个人说话。
9. 我觉得爸妈会吵架都是我的错。
10. 当爸妈争吵时，爸爸(或妈妈)会对我特別的严厉。
11. 当爸妈争吵时，爸爸(或妈妈)会觉得我故意和他们作对。
12. 当爸妈争吵时，我只能选择和爸爸(或妈妈)站到一方。
13. 当爸爸妈妈争吵时，我会分散他们的注意力。
14. 我经常看到爸妈争吵。
15. 当爸妈争吵时，我都只和爸爸(或妈妈)站到一方。
16. 爸妈会因为讨论如何管教我而吵架。
17. 爸妈对我管得太严了。
18. 当爸妈争吵时，我会想很多办法让他们停止吵下去。
19. 我很容易就和爸爸(或妈妈)吵架。
20. 爸妈吵架时，我就倒霉了。
21. 爸妈对我特別严厉。
22. 我觉得我有责任要让爸妈不要再吵架了。
23. 我觉得我在家中的责任重大。
24. 当爸妈争吵时，我很容易就和他们其中一个人吵架。
25. 当爸妈争吵时，他们会向我说对方的坏话。
26. 我是家中可以解决爸妈争吵的人。
27. 爸爸妈妈对待我的方式常常不一样。
28. 我需要站出来自维持家中的和平。
29. 只要我一做错事(例如：打破东西、不乖)，爸爸妈妈就会吵架。
30. 都是因为他们其中一个人(爸爸或妈妈)不好，他们才会吵架。
31. 我只喜欢爸爸或妈妈其中一个人。
32. 我觉得我的家庭不能没有我。
33. 照顾我的家庭是我应该要做的事。
34. 我只和爸爸或妈妈其中一个人比较好。
35. 爸妈争吵时，他们会责备我。
36. 我觉得爸妈争吵都是我造成的。
37. 爸爸或妈妈会告诉我对方的秘密。
38. 爸妈会因为我的问题而意见不和。
39. 爸妈的争吵常和我做的事情有关。
40. 爸爸(或妈妈)对我说他是世界上最爱我的人。
41. 爸妈会因为我在学校中发生的事情而争吵。
42. 我觉得爸妈或他们其中一个人为我牺牲很大。
43. 爸妈争吵时会对我发脾气。
44. 我觉得爸妈的感情不太好。
45. 在我的家中，我的问题最多。

Items in English

1. I feel that my parents argue because of me.
2. Taking care of my parents is my responsibility.
3. When my parents argue, my dad (or mom) expects me to take his side.
4. I think my parents argue because of one of them.
5. When my parents argue, I feel I must intervene to reconcile them.
6. My parents argue about my problems.
7. If I behaved a bit better, my parents wouldn’t argue.
8. When my parents argue, I speak up for one of them.
9. I believe it’s my fault that my parents argue.
10. When my parents argue, my dad (or mom) is particularly strict with me.
11. When my parents argue, my dad (or mom) thinks I’m intentionally going against them.
12. When my parents argue, I can only choose to side with either my dad (or mom).
13. When my parents argue, I try to distract them.
14. I frequently witness my parents argue.
15. When my parents argue, I only take sides with one parent.
16. My parents argue about how to discipline me.
17. My parents are too strict with me.
18. When my parents argue, I try various ways to stop them from arguing.
19. I easily argue with my dad (or mom).
20. I feel unlucky whenever my parents argue.
21. My parents are particularly harsh on me.
22. I feel responsible for making my parents stop arguing.
23. I feel a heavy responsibility in my family.
24. When my parents argue, I easily argue with one of them.
25. When my parents argue, they talk negatively about each other to me.
26. I am the one in the family who can resolve my parents’ arguments.
27. My parents often treat me differently.
28. I need to step up to maintain peace in my family.
29. Whenever I make a mistake (like breaking something or misbehaving), my parents argue.
30. They argue because of one of them being bad (dad or mom).
31. I only like one of my parents more.
32. I feel that my family cannot exist without me.
33. Taking care of my family is my duty.
34. I’m only close to one of my parents.
35. When my parents argue, they blame me.
36. I feel my parents argue because of me.
37. Dad (or mom) tells me secrets about the other.
38. My parents disagree because of my problems.
39. My parents’ arguments often relate to my actions.
40. Dad (or mom) tells me he is the one who loves me the most in the world.
41. My parents argue about things happening at school.
42. I feel that my parents or one of them sacrifices a lot for me.
43. My parents get angry with me during their arguments.
44. I feel my parents’ relationship isn’t good.
45. I have the most problems in my family.

References

郑淑君(Shu-Chun Cheng), 郭丽安(Li-An Kuo). 夫妻婚姻满意度与其独生子/女三角关系运作之分析研究[J]. 教育心理学报, 2008, 40(2):199-220.
李雪香. 亲子三角关系、感觉寻求、情绪调节自我效能感和友谊质量对中学生攻击行为的作用机制研究[D].广州大学,2021.DOI:10.27040/d.cnki.ggzdu.2021.001156.