The term "sink or swim" may resonate with immigrant communities because they've had to do just that, sometimes as children. This is because research suggests that immigrant children are often subject to parentification, where the child assumes parental roles. If you have one or more parents who are immigrants, you might have felt like you grew up alongside them, being their translator or little helper. Without you, they might have sunk.

This may have felt normal since it was expected and sometimes needed. Your parents may have had to do this too in their childhood, and being the little helper may have been rewarded or praised. However, research has shown that parentification can be harmful to one's development and mental health.

Furthermore, immigrants face a unique........

© Psychology Today