Abstract
This study aimed to examine whether parents' autonomy support and psychological control during sibling conflict would relate to children's need-based experiences and relationship functioning within the sibling relationship. Two siblings (Mage =8.61years, SD=0.91 and Mage =10.50years, SD=0.94) of 205 families filled out questionnaires. Results showed that parental autonomy support related positively to siblings' relationship satisfaction via children's need satisfaction. Additionally, fathers' psychological control related negatively to provided autonomy support and positively to provided psychological control from one sibling to the other (as reported by the other sibling) and negatively to satisfaction with this relationship via need frustration. These findings highlight the importance of the quality of parents' involvement during sibling conflict.
Highlights
During middle childhood, sibling interactions are numerous, with children spending most of their free time with their siblings (e.g., McHale & Crouter, 1996)
This study aimed to examine the parental role in sibling conflict from a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) perspective (Ryan & Deci, 2017), thereby focusing on parents’ autonomy-supportive and psychologically controlling intervening style
Parental autonomy support and psychological control during sibling conflict Within SDT, a broad theory on human motivation and socialization, it is stated that parental autonomy support is essential for children’s development, with such support being characterized by parents’ nurturance and promotion of children’s volitional functioning (Grolnick, Ryan, & Deci, 1991)
Summary
During middle childhood, sibling interactions are numerous, with children spending most of their free time with their siblings (e.g., McHale & Crouter, 1996) These interactions are generally very intense with children experiencing both more closeness and more conflict with their sibling during middle childhood compared to during adolescence (Buhrmester & Furman, 1990). This study aimed to examine the parental role in sibling conflict from a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) perspective (Ryan & Deci, 2017), thereby focusing on parents’ autonomy-supportive and psychologically controlling intervening style. A psychologically controlling approach within the context of sibling conflict would involve blaming (one of) the children for the conflict, shaming the children (e.g., ‘Stop acting as babies!’), and displaying disappointment
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