What is 'Affluenza' and are Parents to Blame for This Condition?

In June 2013, Ethan Couch, son of millionaire parents Fred and Tonya Couch, was driving 70 miles per hour in a 45 zone in Forth Worth, Texas under the influence of alcohol. Ethan crashed his pickup truck into a disabled SUV, killing four lives. However, to the public's surprise, Ethan's camp claimed that he could not be held accountable for the murders, because he, basically, is a spoiled brat, the New York Post reports.

What is Affluenza?

Affluenza, according to the Associated Press, is the term used by the shrink who testified during Ethan's trial. The expert, in defense of Ethan, said that affluenza is a condition where wealthy parents "coddled and pampered" their kid to the point that they had "no sense of right and wrong." In Ethan's case, his millionaire parents did not teach him any sense of responsibility for the results of his action. Because of this argument, the judge let Ethan slip with 10 years' probation, which appalled most of the public.

However, despite the claims of Ethan's camp, the outlet said that the American Psychiatric Association has never recognized affluenza as a medical or mental condition. According to forensic psychiatrist and clinical professor Dr. Jeffrey Metzner, affluenza can be closely identified to a similar disorder, narcissism, but the U.S. law does not consider the latter as a legal defense.

Affluenza was popularized in Jessie O'Neill’s book "The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence," where it was described as a condition of children from rich families having a sense of entitlement, no responsibility for their wrongdoings, and, in some cases, using drugs and alcohol, the publication stated.

Are the Parents to Blame?

Naomi Schaefer Riley of the New York Post describes Ethan as "a symbol of an era when parents lost their backbone." Riley notes that in 2006 when Ethan's parents divorced, his mother Tonya tagged his son as her "protector." Tonya even moved Ethan's bed into her bedroom as to prove the point that Ethan was her equal and protector. According to Riley, being lonely does not mean that you have to sacrifice your kid’s childhood. Parents should always be the protector.

Riley even added that Ethan's parents are a clear example of "spineless helicopter parenting" that gives emphasis in protecting their child's sensibility whatever the cost. As a result, these kids become unprepared to face the challenges and circumstances of the real world.

Ethan, who has been tagged as "Affluenza Boy," recently made headlines when her mother let her skip a trial proceeding and fled him to Mexico after a video of him drinking under probation surfaced. Tonya is currently detained in Los Angeles for "hindering apprehension of a felon," per the Huffington Post.

Should parents be blamed for their children having affluenza? Share your thoughts below.