Boundary dissolution has broadly been defined as the breakdown of boundaries and loss of psychological distinctiveness in the parent-child subsystem. Qualitative reviews have highlighted the developmental and clinical value of examining boundary dissolution as a multidimensional construct. Though prior work suggests patterns share minimal variance, research has yet to quantitatively synthesize the weighted effect of distinct patterns. The primary aim of this meta-analysis was to aggregate empirical research on associations between boundary dissolution patterns and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Four patterns of boundary dissolution were identified across developmental, clinical, and family systems literatures: (a) enmeshment-entanglement and blurring of the intergenerational parent-child boundary through psychologically controlling and intrusive behaviors, (b) disorganization-chaotic parent-child boundary (e.g., inexplicable, contradictory behaviors, and responses) reflecting no coherent pattern of relating, (c) caregiving-child functions as a caregiver providing parents with instrumental and emotional support and guidance, and (d) coerciveness-child operates as a disciplinarian or authoritarian to intimidate and control parents. The meta-analysis reviewed 478 studies. Although each boundary dissolution pattern was associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms, weighted effects across patterns significantly varied in magnitude. Regarding externalizing symptoms, the weighted effect of enmeshment was stronger relative to the weighted effect of caregiving. Turning to internalizing symptoms, the weighted effect of enmeshment was stronger than the weighted effect of caregiving and coerciveness. Additionally, the weighted effect of disorganization was stronger than the weighted effect of caregiving. The robustness of weighted effects depended on child, contextual, and methodological characteristics as well as time lag. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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亲子边界消解与儿童心理困难：荟萃分析综述。


边界消解被广泛地定义为亲子子系统中边界的崩溃和心理独特性的丧失。定性评价强调了将边界溶解作为多维结构进行检查的发展和临床价值。尽管先前的工作表明模式具有最小的方差，但研究尚未定量综合不同模式的加权效应。这项荟萃分析的主要目的是汇总关于边界溶解模式与儿童内化和外化症状之间关联的实证研究。发展、临床和家庭系统文献中确定了四种边界消解模式：（a）通过心理控制和侵入行为使代际亲子边界纠缠和模糊，（b）解体-混乱的亲子边界（例如，无法解释的、矛盾的行为和反应）反映了没有连贯的关系模式，(c) 照顾儿童充当照顾者，为父母提供工具和情感支持和指导，(d) 强制-儿童充当纪律或独裁者恐吓和控制父母。荟萃分析回顾了 478 项研究。尽管每种边界溶解模式都与内化和外化症状相关，但不同模式的加权效应在幅度上存在显着差异。就外在症状而言，纠缠的加权效应相对于照顾的加权效应更强。就内化症状而言，纠缠的加权效应强于照顾和强制的加权效应。 此外，混乱的加权效应比照顾的加权效应更强。加权效应的稳健性取决于儿童、背景和方法特征以及时间滞后。 （PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2024 APA，保留所有权利）。