Abstract

ZANETTI, Sandra Aparecida Serra  and  GOMES, Isabel Cristina. The 'weakening of parental role' in contemporary family: its determination and consequences. Temas psicol. [online]. 2011, vol.19, n.2, pp. 491-502. ISSN 1413-389X.

The phenomenon of the "weakening of parental role" is related to difficulties that parents have in educating their children, nowadays, due to insecurity and doubts in the exercise of their functions. This article aims to show the determinants of this phenomenon and its consequences for the contemporary family. The historical, sociocultural and economic aspects of this phenomenon were covered, as well as, from a psychoanalytic referential, rather Freudian and Winnicottian, the consequences of that were raised for the construction of child development. Thus, it appears that this phenomenon is articulated with the changes in the child's role in the family, with the development of "specialized science", with the "culture of narcissism" and, finally, that children exposed to this phenomenon may develop themselves in a environment of excessive freedom, which may be harmful.

Keywords : Parental role; Parent-child relations; Child discipline; Preschool aged children; Permissiveness of their parents.

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