Sibling Relationships Research Articles

Correlates of Emotional and Tangible Reciprocity in Adult Siblings of Individuals With Autism.

Sibling relationships often involve exchanges of emotional and tangible support. When one sibling has a disability, the nature of the reciprocity of such support may differ from sibling pairs wherein no disability is present. Specifically, when an individual has autism, the nature of emotional and tangible reciprocity is unclear given the potential for a supportive or caregiving role of the sibling without autism. In this study, 256 adult siblings of autistic individuals completed a national survey. Analyses included descriptive statistics describing the nature of reciprocity and hierarchical regressions to identify the correlates of emotional and tangible reciprocity. Overall, participants often reported not giving or receiving much tangible support to/from their autistic sibling while they often gave and, to some extent received, emotional support from their autistic sibling. When the autistic sibling had more asocial behaviors, participants were more likely to provide emotional support than receive it. When participants engaged in more caregiving, they both gave and received more emotional and tangible support. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

The experiences of children with Williams syndrome and their nondisabled siblings of their relationship

AbstractObjectiveThis study explored sibling relationships from the perspective of children with Williams syndrome (WS) and their nondisabled (ND) siblings.BackgroundWS, a genetic condition with a profile that can include intellectual disabilities, hypersociability and anxiety, might be predicted to impact sibling relationships, but this has not been qualitatively explored from the children's perspective.MethodsThirty‐nine children (6–17 years; 20 male, 19 female) participated: 20 sibling dyads in which one child had WS and the other was ND (one child with WS did not participate). Children were interviewed about experiences of their relationship. Data were analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsSiblings described multifaceted relationships, in which love and positivity were overtly evident and embedded in the reciprocity of sibling expertise and support. Children skillfully navigated the spaces and boundaries of their relationship across home, school, and friendship contexts, with parent support. ND siblings' knowledge of WS supported interactions, relationships, and advocacy, but some children with WS felt their sibling lacked knowledge of the challenges of WS.ConclusionsThe WS profile was woven through multidimensional relationships.ImplicationsFindings have implications for how parents are supported to help siblings navigate relationships and learn about WS, and how schools support WS sibling relationships.

Growing Old in the City: Challenges of Access to and Control of Urban Houses among Older Women in Low-income Suburbs of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

This study addresses the struggles for housing among older women, including the meaning attached to ownership and control of urban houses among low-income households. It analyses the extent to which older women in low-income suburbs of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, can age-in-place. I explain how the ideal of ageing in place for the nineteen women in this research (ages 60 – 90) is dependent on factors such as access to and control of one’s housing situation, which are impacted by whether or not they have good sibling and intergenerational family relationships. Family conflicts and unpleasant interactions with siblings, adult children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren affect their chances of ageing well in their place of choice forcing some of them to begrudgingly retrace their steps back to the rural areas. These older women are poor and do not have reliable sources of income to look after themselves and the children under their care.

Sibling socialization of alcohol use during adolescence: An integrated model of sibling influence processes.

Research demonstrates that siblings, especially older siblings, make unique contributions to adolescents' substance use above and beyond shared genetics and shared parenting. Older siblings' influences on younger adolescent siblings' alcohol use operate through both direct and indirect pathways. Using three waves of longitudinal data, the present study tested an integrated model of sibling influence processes focused on the linkages between older adolescent siblings' earlier alcohol use and younger adolescent siblings' later alcohol use. Longitudinal study using data collected from families on three occasions: Time 1 (March 2019-February 2020), Time 2 (July 2020-February 2021) and Time 3 (November 2021-February 2022) via online surveys. Families resided in five midwestern states in the US (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin). Participants included two adolescent-aged siblings and one parent from 682 families (n = 2046 persons). Alcohol use by adolescents and parents was assessed at Time 1; younger siblings' social alcohol expectancies and perceptions of modeling were measured at Time 2; and younger siblings' alcohol use was measured at Time 3. Older siblings' earlier alcohol use predicted younger siblings' later drinking both directly [b = 0.15, standard error (SE) = 0.04, β = 0.17, P < 0.001] and indirectly through younger siblings' social alcohol expectancies [δ = 0.02, SE = 0.008, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.003, 0.03]. The direct (δ = -0.14, SE = 0.07, 95% CI = -0.27, -0.01) and indirect (δ = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.0001, 0.06) links were further moderated by younger siblings' reports of sibling modeling, but not by gender composition of the sibling dyad or the interaction of modeling and gender composition. Older siblings' alcohol use appears to influence younger siblings' later alcohol use directly, as well as indirectly through younger siblings' expectancies about alcohol. The global context of the sibling relationship, in this case sibling modeling, may further amplify or dampen these pathways of influence.

On the Use of the Interpretive Approach in Qualitative Research: An Empirical Example

This paper presents a method of analysis and interpretation of the narrative data, based upon a study on experiencing warmth in the relationship between sisters, one of whom is a person with Down syndrome. The aim of the study was to describe and understand the meaning of the experiences in a sisterly relationship. Females aged 12–30 years, in four sibling groups, took part in the research. Two narrative interviews were conducted with each participant. The Family Relations Test (FRT), observational data, and a questionnaire for the parents on the sibling relationship were also used. The article describes in detail the data from one dyad. The results indicate that warmth is most often manifested through tenderness and closeness, and experiencing warmth is fostered by spending quality time together and enjoying it. The presence of the subject dimension—experiencing oneself as a person who is valued and close to the sister and the ability to decide—is also important. The high quality of the relationship is related to perceiving the sister with intellectual disabilities as an entity pursuing her aspirations rather than a person in need of protection and care. Simplicity of experiences, sincerity in communication, and simple language indicate attunement between the sisters. The results of this study supplement the outlook with the perspective of a person with a disability and the positive aspects of the relationship. This could have been difficult to obtain using quantitative methods.

Siblings of Persons with Disabilities: A Systematic Integrative Review of the Empirical Literature.

The systematic review aimed to systematize the empirical literature on the psychological impact of disability on the siblings of persons with disabilities, to inform research and provide clinical recommendations. Two research questions addressed the review: (1) What are the main psychological constructs investigated in siblings of persons with disability? (2) What is the main role of each psychological construct in siblings of persons with disability experience? The electronic search was conducted in 7 databases and the PRISMA diagram was used. The inclusion criteria were: Papers published in English and in peer-reviewed journals; papers published between January 2014 and June 2024; qualitative, quantitative, and mixed studies; and papers on the psychological impact of disabilities and/or chronic illnesses on the experience of siblings of persons with disabilities. The standardized Mixed Method Appraisal Tool protocol was used to appraise the methodological quality of the studies. To summarize the findings, a narrative approach was adopted. A total of 60 studies have been reviewed. According to the methodological quality appraisal of studies, most of them reported a high (n = 45) and medium (n = 15) quality. They involved 10,146 participants. Findings revealed that sibling relationships, sibling-focused parentification, and emotional/behavioral adjustment are the main psychological constructs investigated by existing literature. Few studies focused on siblings' well-being. Studies exploring more than a psychological construct were included as a hybrid. Only one study examined the siblings' psychological experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quality of the sibling relationship ranged from good to poor; the caregiver is the main role played by siblings of persons with disabilities; anxiety, depression, and aggressive behaviors are the main emotional/behavioral symptoms revealed. Most studies (n = 39) recruited participants with brothers or sisters with mental disorders. The findings of this systematic review may play a role in the clinical field, as they might help to design gender- and age-specific intervention programs.

Confidants for life: Examining sibling relationship positivity and disclosure in U.S. Latinx college students while considering the role of familism

Familism is a central facet of Latin culture, yet there has been little work examining its role within the sibling relationship. Importantly, young adulthood provides a unique context where sibling dynamics may shift as independence increases and one begins to solidify their personal beliefs. During this time, sibling relationship quality remains influential. One mechanism to encourage positive sibling relationships is by teasing apart disclosure content. Therefore, we posited the following research questions: Is disclosure content associated with sibling relationship quality? Are there differential associations between familism dimensions (referent, support, obligations, and respect for family) and sibling relationship quality? Do these familism dimensions moderate the association between domain-differentiated disclosure and sibling relationship quality? To address these questions, via online surveys, 186 Latinx undergraduates ( M age = 21.35, SD = 1.79) reported on frequency of disclosure to their closest-in-age sibling, sibling relationship quality, and endorsement of four familism values. Findings revealed that more frequent engagement in personal disclosure (e.g., “How I spend my free time”) was associated with more reports of sibling positivity. With prudential disclosure (e.g., “Whether I smoke cigarettes”), more frequent disclosure was associated with less sibling positivity. All four dimensions of familism were associated with more sibling positivity. For personal disclosure, across all familism models, its association with sibling positivity was magnified under average to high levels of familism endorsement. For prudential disclosure, its association with sibling relationship quality was magnified under high levels of familism endorsement for all models except for respect for family. Within the respect for family model, when endorsed at low levels, multifaceted (e.g., “Whether I stay out late”) disclosure was associated with more sibling positivity. Our study highlights the particularly positive implications of siblings disclosing about personal domain issues compared to other topical domains. Our work also suggests familism is positive for sibling relationships, but interestingly, when it interacts with disclosure, the findings are mixed.

Identifying the role of siblings in adolescent decision-making: A developmental processes approach.

Adolescence represents a period of opportunity in decision-making as developmental motivations and processes shift, particularly in social contexts. Sibling relationships may be especially influential in adolescent decision-making, as siblings spend a disproportionate amount of time with one another and can affect how adolescents think, feel, and behave. However, the ways in which siblings may shape adolescent decision-making through psychological, behavioral, and neurological processes, particularly their interactions, are less well known. This review introduces the developmental processes approach to understanding adolescent decision-making in the sibling context by reviewing patterns in the literature as to how each developmental process in sibling contexts may contribute to adolescent decision-making. Interdisciplinary collaborations across theories and methods (i.e., surveys, observations, and neuroimaging) can contribute to a more holistic understanding of how siblings may shape adolescent decision-making, for better and for worse. Further, this approach can inform practice through sibling-focused prevention programs and other sibling-focused programming (e.g., government, nonprofit) in promoting adaptive adolescent decision-making.

Sibling and best friend conflict resolution strategies among Mexican-origin youth

Sibling relationships evolve into a more egalitarian relationship dynamic resembling friendships during adolescence, potentially facilitating the transfer of interpersonal skills across relationships. This study investigates cross-relationship associations in conflict resolution strategies with siblings and friends. Research on family-peer linkages, largely focused on White populations, often overlook the role of siblings in other ethnoracial contexts. Drawing on social learning theory, we examined mean-level differences on conflict resolution strategy use with siblings versus friends and how conflict resolution strategies with siblings were related to those with friends. Participants were older ( M = 15.48; SD = 1.57) and younger siblings ( M = 12.55; SD = .60) in 246 Mexican-origin families. Adolescents reported on their use of solution-oriented, nonconfrontational, and controlling strategies with one another and their best friends, which reflect varying considerations for oneself, others, and their relationship. Multilevel ANOVAs suggest that adolescents typically use more adaptive strategies with friends than with siblings. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed significant positive associations between actor-reported conflict resolution strategies with siblings and friends, even when accounting for relationship intimacy and conflict, expressive personality characteristics, and familism values, suggesting congruence across relationships. Cross-strategy analyses indicated that controlling strategies with siblings were correlated with all strategies with friends, while nonconfrontational strategies with siblings negatively related to solution-oriented strategies with friends. These findings highlight how sibling and friend experiences shape adolescents’ interpersonal skills and suggest avenues for future research on the enduring impact on social development.

Sibling relational aggression: Developmental change and associations with family relationships across adolescence.

Sibling relational aggression is an understudied social and family process that is of developmental significance in adolescence, a period of interpersonal relationship development. This study examined developmental change in sibling relational aggression across adolescence and used multilevel actor-partner independence models to test its longitudinal associations with mother-adolescent, father-adolescent, and sibling relationship qualities. Participants were 196 adolescent (firstborn-secondborn) sibling pairs from predominantly White families who averaged 16.47 years (SD = .80) and 13.88 years (SD = 1.15) of age, respectively, at baseline. Data were collected separately from each sibling during home interviews at three timepoints, each spaced a year apart. Longitudinal growth modeling revealed declines in sibling relational aggression from early to late adolescence. Findings from longitudinal multilevel actor-partner independence models revealed a negative within-person (WP) effect of father-adolescent intimacy and a positive WP effect of father-adolescent conflict on sibling relational aggression: On occasions when adolescents reported lower intimacy or more conflict with their fathers than usual (compared to individuals' own cross-time averages), adolescents reported experiencing more sibling relational aggression than usual. A between-person (BP) effect of mother-adolescent conflict also indicated that the cross-time average of mother-adolescent conflict was linked positively to the cross-time average of sibling relationship aggression. Primarily at the WP level, associations also emerged between lower sibling intimacy and higher sibling conflict and sibling relational aggression. For relationships with fathers and siblings, some effects were moderated by sibling structural characteristics. Discussion highlights the interplay of family relationship dynamics, including gender dynamics, and sibling relational aggression in adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Development of Prosocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents in the Context of Child-Parent and Sibling Relationships (Review of Modern Foreign Studies)

The Development of Prosocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents in the Context of Child-Parent and Sibling Relationships (Review of Modern Foreign Studies)

THE POWER OF OPEN COMMUNICATION: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT-ADOLESCENT COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM EXTENT AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF SIBLING INFLUENCE

Adolescence is the period of extensive physical, emotional, and social transformation. This article focuses on the primary role of effective communication within the family, especially parents and siblings influence, in shaping adolescence development. It considers how open, supportive, and sincere interactions help in identity formation, peer relationships, cognitive development, and affect regulation during this critical stage. The article draws both on Eastern and Western psychological paradigms, showing how academic psychology has evolved over the years and the main theoretical frameworks which inform our understanding of adolescent development. It is in this regard that the current study will explore the importance of effective family communication in developing a positive identity, building self-esteem, and supplying a sense of belonging. Emphasized herein is the role of parents in guiding adolescents through open discussions that will help them think critically, solve problems, and make independent decisions. Attention falls onto sibling influence in that they are in a special position to offer emotional support, companionship, and modeling behaviors. It draws from quantitative studies how family dynamics impact adolescent results. Construction and standardization processes of psychological measures are described to explain why reliable and valid instruments are needed when studying adolescent behavior and family interaction. This article concludes with the practical recommendations to enhance family communication strategies in supporting adolescent development. This integration of theoretical perspectives and empirical findings thus provides critical insights for educators, practitioners, and families seeking to promote healthy developmental trajectories among adolescents through effective communication and supportive sibling relationships.

Sibling Relationship of Children with Visual Impairments

Sibling Relationship of Children with Visual Impairments

Problem Sexual Behavior and Engagement in Therapeutic Intervention among Children Aged 4–12

ABSTRACT Early intervention in problem sexual behavior (PSB) is critical; however, little is known about the engagement of children and families in therapeutic intervention for PSB. This research explored the characteristics, presenting issues, and engagement of 242 children aged 4–12 years attending a therapeutic service for PSB. Most frequently, PSB occurred within sibling relationships. Girls were more likely to engage in PSB alone (self-directed or non-targeted behaviors), while boys were more likely to involve other young people (interpersonal PSB). One-third (35%) of clients engaged in completion of therapy. Parental noninvolvement and self-directed or non-targeted PSB predicted early disengagement. Client demographics, sexual abuse, and interpersonal sexual behaviors were not associated with therapy completion. Implications for therapeutic intervention in children’s PSB are discussed.

Parental differentiation, self‐differentiation, and attachment among twins and nontwin siblings

AbstractObjectiveThe current study examined the roles of parental differentiation, self‐differentiation, and attachment style and history in parenting twins.BackgroundRaising twins is a complex parental experience. One of the major roles of parenting twins is to ensure their parallel development, as well as their psychological differentiation and self‐individuation.MethodThe study included 91 Israeli adult participants (41 same‐sex fraternal twins; 50 same‐sex nontwin siblings), sampled through social media, who answered a series of questionnaires.ResultsResults indicated that twins reported less self‐differentiation, a poorer attachment history with their parents, and less secure attachment than nontwin siblings. Moderation analysis established that the positive link between parental differentiation and self‐differentiation was significantly stronger for twins than nontwin siblings. In contrast, sibling status had no moderating effect on the link between attachment history and style.ConclusionThese findings emphasize the significance of parental differentiation in twins' personal development and the importance of recognizing the unique bond between them.ImplicationsImplications for practitioners focusing on nurturing healthy development, strong sibling relationships, and individual well‐being are discussed.

Sibling-Mediated Early Start Denver Model Support for Young Autistic Children

AbstractYoung autistic children and their siblings often need support to play and engage with each other. The inclusion of older siblings in the provision of support may improve outcomes for autistic children and strengthen the sibling relationship. This study evaluated the inclusion of older siblings in the delivery of Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) support to autistic children aged between 3 and 4 years. It used a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of sibling-mediated ESDM for four young autistic children and their older, non-autistic siblings. For most dyads, there were improvements in autistic child engagement and in sibling initiations during the sibling-mediated ESDM, which were generally maintained at follow-up. There was some improvement in sibling responses and minimal improvement in autistic child imitation and functional utterances. Sibling initiations and responses were generally positively correlated with autistic child engagement, functional utterances, and imitation. The parents of children in all four dyads found the sibling-mediated ESDM to be acceptable. These preliminary results suggest that sibling-mediated ESDM may be beneficial for improving the interaction between autistic children and their non-autistic siblings while benefits for teaching additional child skills might be more limited.

Implementation of intentionally structured psychosocial through folk games and traditional sports in elementary school students

This study aimed to examine the impact of intentionally structured psychosocial programs through folk games and traditional sports on elementary school students. Psychosocial factors influence individual thoughts and behaviors, and traditional games and sports are known for their character-building and cultural values. The research used a pretest-posttest group design with a quantitative approach, focusing on 5th-grade students from Sumur Batu 06 Public Elementary School in Central Jakarta. The primary instrument was the Questionnaire on Psychosocial Adjustment Needs of Grade 7 Students, covering social cognitive, socio-emotional, social, teacher-student, peer, parent, and sibling relationships. The study followed Kendellen's model, which emphasizes focusing on one psychosocial component per lesson, introducing it at the lesson's beginning, teaching it throughout the lesson, and reviewing it at the end. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22, including only students with at least 80% attendance who completed both pre-tests and post-tests. Normality tests confirmed that data from both integrated and non-integrated groups were normally distributed, while homogeneity tests showed that the samples were from a homogeneous population. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant improvements in psychosocial outcomes for both groups, with the integrated group showing a t-value of 7.453 (Sig. 0.000) and the non-integrated group a t-value of 5.121 (Sig. 0.000). These results indicate a significant positive effect of psychosocially integrated traditional games and sports on the psychosocial development of elementary school students. Keywords: Intentionally Structured, Psychosocial, Sports, Traditional Games

Parental non-involvement strategy for handling sibling conflict on social avoidance in migrant children: Chain mediation of sibling conflict and parent-child conflict.

In the process of urbanization, the social adaptation of migrant children has become an important issue in their development. This study adopts family systems theory and ecological systems theory to examine the effects of parental non-involvement strategies in handling sibling conflict on migrant children's social avoidance. It also investigates the mediating role of sibling conflict and parent-child conflict. The results of the study, reported by parents of 253 mobile children with siblings, suggest that parental strategies of not intervening in sibling conflict are an important factor influencing the development of social avoidance in mobile children. The Parental strategy of not intervening in sibling conflict had an effect on migrant children's social avoidance through the separate mediating effect of parent-child conflict, and also through the chained mediating effect of sibling conflict and parent-child conflict. The study also found that the separate mediating effect of sibling conflict was not significant. This study contributes to the research on the relationship between parental non-intervention in sibling conflict and migrant children's social avoidance. It also highlights the impact of sibling conflict and parent-child conflict on migrant children's social avoidance by establishing and validating a comprehensive research model. The results of the study can help parents establish close parent-child relationships for migrant children and provide scientific guidance for children to develop positive sibling relationships. This, in turn, can assist migrant children in better adapting to a new social environment.

Sibling relationships: Considerations for family therapy

Siblings are frequently overlooked as an essential focus in family‐based interventions with children. And yet, 80–85% of children worldwide have at least one sibling (Campion Barr &amp; Killeron, 2015). Some have suggested that sibling relationships are a prototype for peer relationships in childhood and adulthood. This makes intuitive sense when one considers the arena within which siblings grow and mature together, with the dynamics involving strong attachments, cooperation, and rivalry and conflict. For instance, a positive sibling relationship can provide emotional support and a sense of security, while a negative relationship can lead to increased stress and anxiety.

Early maternal guidance of mother-child emotion dialogues predicts adolescents’ attachment representations: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT This study examined the contribution of early vs. concurrent maternal guidance of emotion dialogues with their children to the security and coherence of the children’s attachment representations as adolescents. Maternal Sensitive Guidance was assessed from mother-child emotion dialogues when participants were preschoolers (approximate age 4 years) and young adolescents (approximate age 12.5 years), along with an assessment of adolescents’ attachment representations using the Friends and Family Interview (FFI). Mothers’ Sensitive Guidance in preschool predicted adolescents’ coherence in the FFI, secure maternal (but not paternal) representations, and a positive representation of sibling relationships. In contrast, mothers’ concurrent Sensitive Guidance was related only to adolescents’ sibling relationships. These results highlight the significance of mothers’ sensitive guidance of emotion dialogues during the early years for their children’s later attachment representations, and point to the need for further examination of mothers’ role when they guide emotion dialogues with their adolescents.