Do sibling relationships protect adolescents in residential care and traditional families from developing psychopathologies?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe transition of young people to residential care is caused, usually, by the need for removal from a dysfunctional environment, which can poten tially disrupt their healthy development and put them at a higher risk. Sibling relationships have been identified as critical to adapting to the developmental process. The present study analyzes whether sibling relationship quality can protect from the development of certain psychopathologies among adolescents from traditional families, as well as institutionalized adolescents. We also intend to analyze the differences in sibling relationship quality and psychopathological symptoms, according to the adolescents' family structure, gender and age. The sample consisted of 387 adolescents, 215 from traditional families and 172 in residential care, aged from 12 to 18 years old. The results show that siblings can play an important role in the prevention of psychopathological symptoms. Young people in residential care appear to have higher psychopathological symptoms; nevertheless, they also present higher levels of pro-social behaviors with siblings.