Children and their parents

How many American children have cut contact with their parents?

有多少美国的孩子和父母切断了联系？

The first nationwide survey, recently conducted by Cornell University, found that 27% of adult Americans are estranged from a close family member. The relationship most commonly severed is that between parent and adult child, and in most cases it is the child who wields the knife***.

最近由康奈尔大学在全美范围开展的首个调查显示，27% 的美国成年人和自己的某一位直系亲属关系疏远。其中，父母和成年子女的关系最常破裂，而且大部分情况下，孩子是那个挥刀斩断关系的人。

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A rise in individualism is the biggest factor. People are increasingly likely to reject relatives who obstruct feelings of well-being in some way, by holding clashing beliefs or failing to embrace those of others.***

个人主义的盛行是最重要的因素。人们现在越来越倾向于冷落在某些方面影响自己幸福感的亲戚。这些亲戚有些和自己持有截然不同的想法，还有一些无法接受他人的观点。

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More individualistic than most rich countries, America also has a higher divorce rate.*** This suggests adult-child separation is more common in America. Geography also plays a part. America remains one of the most geographically mobile countries in the world. The vast distances often involved allow people who want to leave their families behind to do so.

在美国，个人主义风潮比大多数富裕国家都更为盛行，所以该国的离婚率也更高。这意味着父母和子女分居的情况在美国也更加普遍。地理因素也起到了一定的作用。美国如今依然是世界上人口流动性最大的国家之一。这意味着亲属之间经常相隔甚远，从而让那些想要脱离家庭的人得以这么做。

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Those who decide to break off contact with their parents find support in a growing body of books, as well as online. Threads on internet forums for people who want to break ties with their parents reveal strangers labelling people they have never met as narcissistic or toxic. This may make it easier to shelve feelings of guilt.

那些决定和父母断绝关系的人可以从越来越多的书籍和互联网中得到支持。在这些人聚集的网络论坛里，帖子中会有陌生人给一些他们素未谋面的人扣上“自恋”和“有毒”的帽子。这可能让子女们更容易把负罪感搁置一旁。

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Parent-child estrangement has negative effects beyond the heartbreak it causes. Research suggests that the habit of cutting off relatives is likely to spread in families. But most immediately, it is likely to exacerbate loneliness in old age.

亲子关系的疏远所造成的负面影响不局限于它给人们带来的悲痛。研究显示，和亲属断绝关系的“习惯”可能会在家族内部传播。但它最直接的后果在于，这种做法可能会加重人们晚年的孤独感。

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主编：夏天

品控：Pita

审核：大仔

重点词汇

conduct

/kənˈdʌkt/

v. 实施，执行

近义词组：carry out

搭配短语：to conduct a campaign

estranged

/ɪˈstreɪndʒd/

adj. 疏远的

Children and their parents

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