The Pathology of Economic Expectations: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Children's Psychological Experiences as Family Investments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59388/gt.v4i2.933Keywords:
Economic Expectations, Lived Experience Phenomenology, Psychological Control, Parental InvestmentAbstract
The phenomenon of children being positioned as future investments and economic providers remains common in collectivistic societies, where family expectations are strongly shaped by filial obligation and intergenerational reciprocity. Although parental investment has been widely associated with child development and social mobility, limited attention has been given to the psychological experiences of individuals who are expected to secure their family's future economic well-being. This study explored the lived experiences of individuals who perceived themselves as their family's future investment and primary economic provider. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to understand the meanings attached to these experiences. The participants were two first-born young adults (aged 25–27 years) who had experienced persistent parental expectations since adolescence, assumed financial responsibilities in early adulthood, and participated in eight semi-structured interview sessions. Data were analyzed using phenomenological thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: the internalization of economic expectations as a moral obligation, conflict between personal aspirations and family obligations, psychological distress characterized by anxiety and fear of failure, perceptions of conditional parental affection, and emotional ambivalence involving gratitude, responsibility, exhaustion, and disappointment. The findings indicate that being positioned as a family investment extends beyond economic responsibility, shaping identity formation, autonomy, and psychological well-being. By examining these experiences phenomenologically, this study highlights invisible grief and identity conflict as overlooked psychological consequences of familial economic expectations. The findings extend current understanding of parental investment, family obligation, and intergenerational reciprocity while providing insights for psychologists, counselors, and families within Indonesian collectivistic contexts.
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