Amelia and the Patel Family: Helping Parents of Boomerang Children Shift from Stressors to Strengths

Abstract

Increasingly, adults between the ages of 20 and 35 are living with their parent or parents for extended periods of time. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “boomerang child coresidence,” poses a range of benefits and challenges for families. The authors of this article consulted an expert about boomerang child coresidence to identify ethical dilemmas family counselors may encounter as they work with families experiencing boomerang child coresidence. In this article, the authors wrote a fictional case study incorporating intersectional issues related to a family with a boomerang family member and then asked an expert to respond to questions about the case study. The respondent to this case study highlights key ethical, cultural, and systemic considerations, and provides recommendations for couples and family counselors to apply the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors Code of Ethics in their work with parents of boomerang children.