Measuring Attitudes toward Adult Sibling Relationships: The Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale

Abstract

Based on research noting the importance of sibling relation-ships throughout the lifespan and grounded in basic research on attitudes structure, a self-report instrument called the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale (LSRS) was developed. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the LSRS. A sample of 711 participants completed the LSRS, which measures three dimensions of the sibling relationship in childhood and adulthood: frequency and positivity of behavior toward the sibling, affect toward the sibling, and beliefs about the sibling and the sibling relationship. Results suggested that the LSRS possesses good psychometric properties, including high internal consistency of all six subscales and the total instrument, as well as evidence supporting a coherent factor structure and stability of responses over time. Significant correlations with social support, overall relation-ship satisfaction, closeness of the sibling relationship, the degree to which the sibling served as a role model, and a measure of various sibling relationship qualities supported the construct validity of the LSRS. Lack of correlations between the LSRS, social desirability, and theoretically unrelated scales demonstrated discriminant validity. Correlations with personality traits and psychological well-being indicated that satisfactory sibling relationships were associated with emotional adjustment. The utility of the LSRS for use in future research is discussed.