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Abstract

This study examines the inner conflict experienced by middle children as a result of unbalanced family treatment patterns and its impact on psychological development in adulthood. Based on Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the conflict between the id, ego, and superego serves as the basis for analysis to understand how role pressures and emotional injustice shape middle children's tendencies to suppress feelings, withdraw, and experience difficulty expressing emotions. This study used qualitative methods with a descriptive approach through interviews with two informants, Laila and Syafa, who represent the experiences of middle children. The analysis shows that the lack of attention and demands for understanding from siblings causes middle children to develop personality patterns that tend to be submissive, emotionally independent, but vulnerable to emotional instability and insecurity. These findings then formed the basis for the creation of a dance work that expresses inner struggles, fears, and the need for self-acceptance. This work is expected to provide an aesthetic understanding of the psychological impact of middle children and the importance of family support in fostering emotional balance.