Covert incest was defined in the 1980s as an emotionally abusive relationship between a parental figure and child that does not involve incest or sexual intercourse, though it involves similar interpersonal dynamics as a relationship between sexual partners.
In the 1980s, covert incest was defined as an emotionally abusive relationship between a parent and child that did not involve sexual intercourse but mirrored the dynamics of a typical couple's relationship.