Sibling Conflict Research Articles

Parental Divorce and Sibling Relationships

This study examines long-term effects of parental divorce on sibling relationships in adulthood and the role of predivorce parental conflict. It used large-scale retrospective data from the Netherlands that contain reports from both siblings of the sibling dyad. Results show limited effects of parental divorce on sibling contact and relationship quality in adulthood but strong effects on sibling conflict. The greater conflict among siblings from divorced families is explained by the greater parental conflict in these families. Parental conflict is a far more important predictor than parental divorce per se. Siblings from high-conflict families have less contact, lower relationship quality, and more conflict than do siblings from low-conflict families. Finally, when it comes to sibling relationship quality, the effect of parental divorce depends on the amount of parental conflict. Parental divorce has little effect on the quality of the relationship in low-conflict families, but it improves the relationship in high-conflict families.

Do mothers regulate facultative and obligate siblicide by differentially provisioning eggs with hormones?

We examined androgens in clutches of two booby species that differ in their sibling conflict. Blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii chicks show an aggression-submission relationship, aggression is normally moderate and siblicide is facultative. Brown booby Sula leucogaster chicks show an aggression-aggression relationship, aggression of both chicks can be relentless and siblicide is obligate. The parental favoritism hypothesis predicts that egg mass, yolk mass and yolk androgens should decline with laying order less in the blue-footed booby than in the brown booby, to promote the survival of the former's junior chick. The eggs of the blue-footed booby had higher yolk concentrations of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and lower concentrations of testosterone (T); both species had similarly high yolk concentrations of androstenedione (A). Intra-clutch variation in yolk DHT, T and A failed to support our predictions. In both species, first and second eggs showed similar concentrations of all three hormones and were of similar size, although in the blue-footed booby (only) yolk masses declined with laying order. Brown booby mothers make junior chicks vulnerable to siblicide by hatching them 5 d after their broodmates, but not by differential allocation of egg androgens or nutrients. Blue-footed booby mothers appear to prepare junior chicks for thriving in a subordinate non-provocative role by hatching them 4 d after their broodmates and providing them with 10% less yolk. To orchestrate agonism within the brood, these boobies may rely more on hatch intervals and yolk provision than on androgens.

Sibling Conflict within Early Modern German Noble Families

In late medieval and early modern Germany, it was legal and acceptable for heads of noble households to imprison female family members as a method of punishment or coercion. Although few fathers took advantage of this strategy, brothers who succeeded their fathers as heads of households proved far less reluctant to incarcerate their sisters when the women challenged their authority. This practice of gendered coercion often led to politically destructive, divisive, and emotionally charged conflicts among siblings. This article examines the conflicts between noble brothers and their sisters, and explores why women refused to obey their brothers and what the consequences of their rebellion were. As Shakespeare has reminded us, the emotional discord between aristocratic brothers often altered a family's political fortunes. This article suggests that the same was true for the relationship between noblewomen and the brothers who tried to control them.

Maternal response to neonatal sibling conflict in the spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta

Maternal response to neonatal sibling conflict in the spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta

Maternal response to neonatal sibling conflict in the spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta

Among spotted hyenas, Crocuta crocuta, neonatal aggression in twins is a well-known phenomenon and serves to establish intra-litter dominance soon after birth. As the stronger more aggressive cub presumably attains dominance over its twin, intra-litter dominance presents mothers with an ideal opportunity to assess individual cub fitness and, thereafter, to selectively favor one cub over the other. This study quantified maternal response to sibling conflict in 26 sets of twins born to 16 wild-living females to determine whether mothers of different social ranks exhibited favoritism towards sons or daughters, or in the case of same-sex twins, the dominant or subordinate cub. Maternal response to sibling conflict did not vary with litter sex composition, suggesting that mothers do not favor offspring of one sex over the other. All mothers intervened when their cubs fought and sometimes punished their cubs. Higher-ranking mothers more often punished both cubs, while lower-ranking mothers were more selective and punished the dominant cub. Where sibling aggression was most extreme, rather than favor the dominant sibling, mothers of all ranks made concessions to the subordinate cub that included procuring private nursing bouts for the subordinate and temporarily housing twins in separate dens, presumably to decrease sibling conflict. These findings represent a complex example of parent–offspring conflict and support both the insurance cub hypothesis and resource tracking hypothesis that mothers endeavor to keep all offspring alive for as long as possible in the event that the dominant sibling dies or that resources provide for the rearing of twins.

Parent–offspring and sibling conflict in Galápagos fur seals and sea lions

Parent–offspring conflict theory is well supported by theoretical arguments. However, empirical observations are often difficult to interpret and have contradicted one of its most appealing predictions that parent and offspring should disagree over killing of nest or littermates. We present the first examples of deadly conflict between siblings of different cohorts. In Galapagos fur seals (Arctocephalus galapagoensis) and sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki), mothers often wean their single offspring at 2 years. This leads to a situation where up to 23% of all pups are born while the older sibling is still being nursed. Younger siblings are disadvantaged by being born lighter than neonates without older still dependent siblings. Pups born while an older sib is still dependent grow less in early life (fur seal) and suffer increased early mortality (both species) through direct aggression or scramble competition with the older sibling. This effect is much stronger in years of high sea surface temperature (El Nino) indicating low marine productivity and if the older offspring is a male. In both species, mothers interfere aggressively in this conflict by defending the younger offspring. In years of El Nino, intense resistance to maternal aggression by the older offspring happens frequently in the fur seal. Such resistance against weaning can induce maternal neglect of the newborn. Given substantial year to year variation in offspring growth, maternal aggression forces weaning in the older sibling only if it has reached sufficient size to support itself by foraging. In Galapagos fur seals, pups with older siblings can either represent insurance against loss of older offspring or extra reproductive value.

Parent and Sibling Influences on the Quality of Children's Conflict Behaviours across the Preschool Period

AbstractParent and sibling influences on children's development of conflict management strategies were examined. Data consist of naturally occurring, in‐home sibling disputes of 37 families at two time points. The siblings were approximately two and four years old at Time 1, and four and six years old at Time 2. Parents' and children's use of conflict strategies that reflect proactive autonomy assertions such as opposition and verbal and physical power were the focus of the current study. Results suggest that parents and siblings play an important role in shaping children's conflict behaviours over time. For instance, parents' reliance on unelaborated opposition to the child, and older siblings' increased use of physical power predicted decreases in younger siblings' ability to assert themselves during conflict. In addition, increased proportions of opposition from a younger sibling was associated with the older siblings using less verbal aggression and using more mature conflict strategies such as justifying their own behaviour to their younger sibling. As sibling conflict is a salient child rearing concern for parents, practical implications are discussed.

Longitudinal linkages between sibling relationships and adjustment from middle childhood through adolescence.

The links between changes in sibling conflict and intimacy and changes in perceived peer social competence and depression symptoms were examined from middle childhood through adolescence. Participants were mothers, fathers and first- and second-born siblings from 197 White, working/middle class, two-parent families. Peer competence peaked in early adolescence and then declined; depression symptoms were high in middle childhood and, for girls, in middle adolescence. Controlling for parent-offspring relationships and sibling and parent adjustment, increases in sibling conflict were linked to increases in depression symptoms, and increases in sibling intimacy were linked to increases in peer competence and, for girls, decreases in depression symptoms.

Longitudinal Course and Family Correlates of Sibling Relationships From Childhood Through Adolescence

Changes in sibling intimacy and conflict were charted from middle childhood through adolescence, and family structure and relationship correlates of change were examined. Participants were mothers, fathers, and firstborn (M=11.82 years at Time 1) and secondborn (M=9.22 years) siblings from 200 White, working/middle class, 2-parent families. Sibling intimacy was highest for sisters, stable over time for same-sex dyads, and showed a U-shaped change pattern in mixed-sex dyads. Sibling conflict declined after early adolescence at the same time (but at different ages) for firstborn and secondborns. Maternal acceptance covaried positively with sibling intimacy, and father-child conflict covaried positively with sibling conflict over time; fathers' marital love was linked to sibling intimacy in a pattern suggestive of compensation.

Strategi Manajemen Konflik dalam Interaksi antar Saudara Kandung Ditinjau dari Keyakinan Orangtua, Jenis Kelamin Orangtua, dan Status Sosial Ekonomi Orangtua

The purpose of this research was to examine whether parental beliefs about managing sibling conflict correlate with the use of parent’s conflict management strategies in sibling interaction and the differences in the use of conflict management strategies in sibling interaction between mother and father. Further, this study examine the contribution of social economic status (SES), which SES is defined in terms of parents’ years of education and monthly family income, on parental conflict management strategies in sibling interaction. Study participants were 160 couples, who have younger children with mean age 7.2 years and older children with mean age 11.5 years. This research used questionnaire methods which contain parents’self informations and psychological scale to reveal parents’social economic status, parental beliefs about managing sibling conflict, and the use of conflict management strategies in sibling interaction. The result of this research suggests that 1) there is significant relationship between parental beliefs about managing sibling conflict and the use of parent’s conflict management strategies in sibling interaction.; 2) there is no significant difference between mother and father regarding the use of conflict management strategies in sibling interaction; 3) parent’s social economic status influence the difference use of mother’s child-centered conflict management strategies. Parents who received montly family income above Rp 2.000.000,00 and had completed their university education show higher frequency in the use child-centered conflict management strategies than parents who had lower income and lower education. Parent’s social economic status didn’t influence parents’ use of parental control conflict management strategies. Key Word: parental beliefs about managing sibling conflict, parents’sex, parents’social economic status, parents’conflict management strategies in sibling interaction

Relational Aggression in Adolescents’ Sibling Relationships: Links to Sibling and Parent‐Adolescent Relationship Quality*

Abstract: This study examined the links between sibling relational aggression and other sibling relationship qualities (i.e., intimacy, negativity, and temporal involvement) and broader parenting dynamics. Participants included 185 adolescent sibling pairs and their mothers and fathers. Data were gathered during home interviews and a series of nightly phone calls with adolescents and parents. Findings revealed that sibling relational aggression was related to sibling intimacy and negativity. In addition, connections emerged between relational aggression and qualities of the parent‐child relationship, parents’ differential treatment, and parents’ strategies for handling sibling conflict.

Sibling aggression: Sex differences and parents’ reactions

Thirty-nine families were observed extensively at home when children were 21/2 and 41/2 years of age and again 2 years later. The Social Relations Model is used to investigate children’s sex differences in aggression and parents’ prohibiting aggression during sibling conflict. In the first observation period, boys engaged in more severe and mild physical aggression, grabbing, insulting, and property damage than girls. At Time 2, boys engaged in more mild physical aggression and insulting, than girls, but there were no sex differences in other forms of aggression. At Time 1, parents’ responses were relatively uninfluenced by the sex of the children. However, parents were more likely to prohibit mild physical aggression, grabbing, and property damage by and towards girls at the second time period. Conversely, parents showed more tolerance for boys’ mild physical aggression at Time 2, suggesting that this socialisation message may play a role in boys’ greater use of physical aggression both at home and with peers.

The consequences of antisocial behavior in older male siblings for younger brothers and sisters.

The contribution of younger male and female siblings' conflict and involvement in deviant activities with their older brothers to younger siblings' adolescent adjustment problems was examined in the context of parenting. Ineffective parenting during younger siblings' childhood had no direct effects on adjustment but facilitated their exposure to older brothers' deviant peers and activities. The effect of sibling conflict on adjustment was mediated by younger siblings' coparticipation in deviant activities with their older brothers during adolescence. Early sibling conflict and coparticipation in deviant activities synergistically increased the risk for younger siblings' adolescent adjustment problems. These empirical relations held in the context of parental discipline of younger siblings during adolescence. Sibling relationships entail a set of iterative social processes that strongly influence risk for adolescent antisocial behavior, drug use, sexual behavior, and traumatic experience. Variations in sibling influence were observed conditional on the gender combination of the sibling pair and on sibling age differences.

Sibling relationships in early/middle childhood: links with individual adjustment.

The overarching goal of the study was to identify links between sibling relationship quality in early/middle childhood with children's adjustment, having accounted for the effects of parent-child relationship quality. The sample consisted of 101 working and middle-class 2-parent English families with 2 children ages 4-8 years. Parents provided reports of sibling relationship quality, the parent-child relationship, and the children's prosocial and problematic behaviors. The children also provided reports of their familial relationships with a puppet interview. Results indicated that sibling relationship quality was associated with the older siblings' adjustment, controlling for the children's relationships with parents. In addition, the pattern of findings suggested that positivity within the sibling relationship was more strongly linked with child adjustment than was sibling conflict.

If-Then Contingencies in Children's Sibling Conflicts

Two-step (if-then) behavioral contingencies in the naturally occurring conflicts of 2- and 4-year-old siblings were identified and described. Children’s crying, compliance, ignoring, opposition, power, and reasoning strategies were examined to determine how they were used immediately following opposition, power, and reasoning from siblings and power and reasoning from mothers. Children responded to their opponents’ behaviors in a highly consistent manner across the different strategies observed. The behavioral patterns children used showed more extensive reciprocity of reasoning than of power. In addition, children were sensitive to the status of their opponent (e.g., they complied after their mothers used power strategies but were less likely to do so after their siblings used such strategies; also, younger children ignored sibling opposition, while older children responded to it with power). The utility of considering the sequential nature of behavior, not simply the average occurrence of different strategies, is highlighted.

Sibling relationships as contexts for delinquency training in low-income families.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the link between sibling relationships and antisocial behavior in 208 boys from low-income families. Sibling relational attributes and mother-target child (MTC) relationship quality were assessed when the target child (TC) was 10 years old. At ages 11 and 12, TC antisocial behavior and TC reports of peer antisocial behavior were evaluated. Results indicated that MTC negative relationship quality was significantly related to sibling conflict. In turn, sibling conflict was a significant predictor of antisocial behavior; sibling warmth/closeness was related to TC reports of peer antisocial behavior. Findings also indicated that sibling relationship quality was related to antisocial behavior after controlling for MTC negativity. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Familial predictors of sibling and romantic-partner conflict resolution: comparing late adolescents from intact and divorced families

The present study examined whether predictors of romantic-partner conflict may vary as a function of family structure. Using a cross-sectional design, we tested a mediation model of conflict resolution behaviours among late adolescents from intact ( n = 185 ) and divorced ( n = 87 ) families. Adolescents rated conflict resolution behaviours in five dyadic relationships: interparental, mother–adolescent, father–adolescent, sibling, and romantic partner. Mother–adolescent and father–adolescent conflict resolution behaviours mediated the relationship between interparental and sibling conflict resolution. Moreover, both mother–adolescent and sibling conflict resolution behaviours mediated the relationship between interparental and romantic-partner conflict resolution behaviours. This model was supported for both positive and negative behaviours, and it applied equally well to adolescents from intact and divorced families. Results are discussed in the context of social learning theories and support conflict resolution behaviours within the family spilling over into romantic relationships for adolescents from both intact and divorced families.

318-PSYCHOSOMATIC THERAPY IN SOMATIZATION DISORDERS: A MANUAL ON PSYCHODYNAMIC-INTERACTIONAL GROUP THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF SOMATOFORM PAIN DISORDERS

Much of the research on birth order has focused on individual differences in personality traits, with relatively few studies focused on aspects of social behavior other than sibling conflict. However, one would predict that the differences in parental investment and niche differentiation that shape personality differences between siblings would also influence other social relationships. In particular, middleborns may be more likely to prioritize non-kin relationships. This study investigated the impact of birth order on a number of measures of prosocial behavior. Results suggest that birth order has a moderate effect on prosociality such that later birth orders exhibit greater prosociality. However, both the linear and quadratic effects were significant and the quadratic was negative indicating that the greatest increase in prosociality is seen between first and secondborns, the rate of change decelerates as birth order and prosociality increase.

‘You be the big sister’: Maternal‐preschooler internal state discourse, perspective‐taking, and sibling caretaking

AbstractMaternal–preschooler internal state discourse, preschooler perspective‐taking, and sibling caretaking for 32 dyads (preschooler M age=46.4 months, toddlers=14 months) was examined across three contexts varying in emotional demands: (a) naturalistic home observations, (b) mother–preschooler book reading (Parent–Child Affect Communication Task; Zahn‐Waxler, Ridgeway, Denham, Usher and Cole, 1993), and (c) a laboratory maternal separation session. Preschooler perspective‐taking was positively associated with emotional understanding during book reading. However, mothers did not adjust their internal state discourse in any of the three contexts to reflect preschoolers' perspective‐taking skills. Both preschooler internal state language during sibling conflict and maternal leave‐taking discourse were associated with sibling caretaking. Findings are discussed in light of the role of family discourse and dynamics in the development of children's social understanding. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sibling Conflict and Ineffective Parenting as Predictors of Adolescent Boys' Antisocial Behavior and Peer Difficulties: Additive and Interactional Effects

Extensive sibling conflict is predictive of multiple poor adjustment outcomes during adolescence and early adulthood, but the frequency and developmental impact of such conflict may be conditional on ineffective parenting. Thus, sibling conflict may add to or amplify the negative effects of ineffective parenting on adolescent boys' adjustment. Hypotheses in this study were that: (a) multiple informant measures of problematic parent–child relationships and of sibling conflict would form distinct constructs rather than a single negative family process construct, and (b) ineffective parenting, sibling conflict, and their interaction measured at ages 10 to 12 would predict boys' concurrent status and developmental trajectories for antisocial behavior and peer adjustment across a 4‐year span from ages 12 to 16. Confirmatory factor and latent growth modeling analyses were consistent with these hypotheses, demonstrating the important developmental impact of sibling conflict.