A British psychologist based in the US, Dr Richard L. Blake, has outlined five factors he believes are driving a rise in adult children severing ties with their parents. His comments follow a 2025 YouGov survey which found that a significant proportion of American adults report being estranged from a family member, prompting wider discussion of what is fuelling the trend.

Drawing on his research and clinical work in the field of family estrangement, Dr Blake identifies recurring patterns behind these ruptures, though the article does not fully detail all five reasons in the text provided. The 2025 YouGov survey found that 38% of US adults are estranged from at least one family member, whether a parent, sibling, child or grandparent, underlining how widespread the issue has become.