What are the internal and external solutions (concept of resilience) that we can bring to a “toxic” parent (or perverse narcissic manipulator)?

Duray-Parmentier, Carine Nielens, Noémie DURAY, Elin [UNamur] Janne, Pascal [UCL] Gourdin, Maximilien [UCL]

Understanding the toxic relationships in which victims of a “toxic” parent are trapped, finding tools that will allow these grown-up children to get out of the grip they have been in, often since birth. The aim of this article is to better understand and identify this concept of parental toxicity, not only by the very functioning of the “toxic” parent and the consequences for the child, but also on the potential for social and cultural development and relationships. In other words, how to become a support of effective resilience in the face of toxic relationship dynamics ? Moreover, the notion of “perverse narcissistic manipulator” is a concept with a low falsifiability for which this article requires in order to distinguish other underlying pathologies. Through research and in-depth bibliographical study of many recognized international works, the main conclusions demonstrate the importance of understanding not only the specificity of the cognitive and behavioral patterns of both the “toxic” parent and those of the adult child, and the possibility of resilience development.