Abstract
Background: There is little research on the impact of sibling relations on the development of resilience in families experiencing break up. Methods: The role of sex of siblings in family structures was explored in relation to mental health in young adults in a sample of 927 participants (460 males and 467 females), aged 1821 years old. In addition the potential mediating relationship of family relations, selfefficacy, optimism and social support were added to the mix in order to provide some explanatory mechanism for any relationship that might exist. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance and path analysis were used and findings suggest that the presence of a female sibling may be a protective factor and may operate through improving family relationships and increasing self-efficacy, optimism, and perceived social support. Conclusions: It is suggested that the sex structure of siblings should be considered in any family focused intervention to improve mental health.
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