Quality of sibling relationship and parental differential treatment in a sample of Portuguese adolescents

Inês Carvalho Relva, Madalena Alarcão, Otília Monteiro Fernandes, Sandra Graham-Bermann

Abstract


Siblings are extremely important in adolescent life. We intent to study how sibling attachment, parental differential treatment and the use of conflict tactics resolution in siblings relationship are related. In a sample of 192 Portuguese adolescents aged between 11 and 16 we applied Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, sibling version; the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales – Sibling Version and the Sibling Inventory Differential Experience. The results show that an equal parental treatment are associated with positive way of solving conflicts between siblings; boys reported more distance from siblings than girls, and a negative sibling relationship seems to influence the occurrence of sibling violence. This study stresses the importance of parents and practitioners in promoting earlier closeness between siblings.


Keywords


Differential treatment, Parents, Siblings, Attachment, Revised Conflict Tactics Scales – Sibling Version.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1980). Attachment and child abuse. In G. Gerbner, C. J. Ross, & E. Zigler (Eds.), Child abuse: An agenda for action (pp. 35-47). New York: Oxford University Press.

Armsden, G. C., & Greenberg, M. T. (1987). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Individual differences and their relationship to psychological well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 427-54. doi: 10.1007/BF02202939

Bank, S. P., & Kahn, M. D. (1997). The sibling bond (15th anniversary ed.). New York: Basic Books.

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. New York: Basic Books.

Bordin, I. A. S., Paula, C. S., Nascimento, R., & Duarte, C. S. (2006). Severe physical punishment and mental health problems in an economically disadvantaged population of children and adolescents. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 28, 290-296. doi: 10.1590/S1516-44462006000400008

Brody, G. H., Stoneman, Z., & Mccoy, J. K. (1992). Associations of maternal and paternal direct and differential behavior with sibling relationships: Contemporaneous and longitudinal analyses. Child Development, 63, 82-92.

Buhrmester, D. (1992). The developmental courses of sibling and peer relationships. In F. Boer & J. Dunn (Eds.), Children’s sibling relationships: Developmental and clinical issues (pp. 19-40). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Buist, K., Deković, M., Meeus, W., & Aken, A. (2002). Development patterns adolescent attachment to mother, father and sibling. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31, 167-176. doi: 10.1023/A:1015074701280

Buist, K., Deković, M., Meeus, W., & Aken, M. (2004). Attachment in adolescence: A social relations model analysis. Journal of Adolescent Research, 19, 826-850. doi: 10.1177/0743558403260109

Brumbaugh, C. C. (2017). Transferring connection: Friend and sibling attachment’s importance in the lives of singles. Personal Relationships, 24, 534-549. doi: 10.1111/pere.12195

Caffaro, J. V., & Conn-Caffaro, A. (2005). Treating sibling abuse families. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10, 604-623. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2004.12.001

Caspi, J. (2012). Sibling aggression: Assessment and treatment. New York: Springer.

Cassidy, J. (2008). The nature of the child’s ties. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Publications.

Cicirelli, V. C. (1995). Sibling relationships across the life span. New York: Plenum Press.

Criss, M. M., & Shaw, D. S. (2005). Sibling relationships as contexts for sibling training in low-income families. Journal of Family Psychology, 19, 592-600. doi: 10.1037/0893-3200.19.4.592

Cummings, E., & Smith, D. (1993). The impact of anger between adults on siblings’ emotions and social behavior. Journal of Child Psychology Psychiatry, 34, 1425-1433.

Daniels, D., & Plomin, R. (1985). Differential experience of siblings in the same family. Developmental Psychology, 21, 747-760.

Daniels, D., Dunn, J., Furstenberg, F. F. Jr., & Plomin, R. (1985). Environmental differences within the family adjustment differences within pairs of adolescent siblings. Child Development, 56, 764-774.

Fernandes, O. M., & Relva, I. C. (2013). Questionário sociobiográfico – QSB (manuscrito não publicado). Vila Real: Departamento de Educação e Psicologia da Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal.

Fernandes, O. M., Relva, I., Rocha, M., & Alarcão, M. (2016). Estudo da validade de construto das Revised Conflict Tactics Scales – Versão Irmãos. Motricidade, 12, 69-82. Recuperado de http://dx.doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.6182

Furman, W., & Burhmester, D. (1985). Children’s perceptions of qualities of siblings relationships. Child Development, 56, 448-461. doi: 10.2307/1129733

Geraldes, R., Soares, I., & Martins, C. (2013). Vinculação no contexto familiar: Relações entre os cônjuges, entre pais e filhos adolescentes e entre irmãos. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 26, 799-808. Recuperado de http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722013000400021

Graham-Bermann, S. (1991). Siblings in dyads: Relationships among perceptions and behavior. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 152, 207-216. doi: 10.1080/00221325.1991.9914667

Hines, D., & Malley-Morrison, K. (2005). Family violence in the United States: Defining, understanding and combating abuse. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Hidman, J. M., Riggs, S. A., & Hook, J. R. (2013). A contribution of executive, parent-child, and sibling subsystems to children’s psychological functioning. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 2, 294-308. doi: 10.1037/a0034419

Howes, C. (1999). Attachment relationships in the context of multiple caregivers. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 671-687). New York: Guilford Press.

Johnson, R., Duncan, D., Rothman, E., Gilreath, T., Hemenway, D., Molnar, B., & Azrael, D. (2015). Fighting with siblings and with peers among urban high school students. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30, 2221-2237. doi: 10.1177/0886260514552440

Kowal, A., Kramer, L., Krull, J., & Crick, N. (2002). Children’s perceptions of fairness of parental preferential treatment and their socioemotional well-being. Journal of Family Psychology, 16, 297-306. doi: 10.1037/0893-3200.16.3.297

Lopes, P., Relva, I. C., & Fernandes, O. M. (2017). Psychopathology and sibling violence in a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 12, 11-21. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-017-0194-4

Mackey, A. M., Fromuth, M. E., & Kelly, D. B. (2010). The association of sibling relationship and abuse with later psychological adjustment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25, 955-968. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.25.1.36

Meunier, J., Roskam, I., Stievenart, M., Moortele, G., Browne, D., & Wade, M. (2012). Parental differential treatment, child’s externalizing behavior and siblings relationships: Bridging links with child’s perception of favoritism and personality, and parent’s self-efficacy. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 29, 612-638. doi: 10.1177/0265407512443419

Mota, C. P., & Matos, P. (2013). Peer attachment, coping and self-esteem in institutionalized adolescents: The mediating role of social skills. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28, 87-100. doi: 10.1007/s10212012-0103-z

Neves, L., Soares, I., & Silva, M. C. (1999). Inventário da vinculação na adolescência – IPPA. In M. R. Simões, M. Gonçalves, & L. S. Almeida (Eds.), Testes e provas psicológicas em Portugal (Vol. 2). Braga: APPORT/SHO.

Noel, V., Francis, S., & Tilley, M. (2018). An adapted measure of sibling attachment: Factor structure and internal consistency of the Sibling Attachment Inventory in Youth. Child Psychiatry Human Development, 49, 217-224. doi: 10.1007/s10578-017-0742-z

Noller, P. (2005). Sibling relationships in adolescence: Learning and growing together. Personal Relationships, 12, 1-22.

Papalia, D. E., Olds, S. W., & Feldman, R. D. (2001). O mundo da criança (8ª ed.). Lisboa: McGraw-Hill.

Relva, I. C., Fernandes, O. M., Alarcão, M., & Martins, A. (2014). Estudo exploratório da violência entre irmãos em Portugal. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 27, 398-408. doi: 10.1590/1678-7153.201427221

Relva, I. C., Fernandes, O. M., & Costa, R. (2013). Psychometric Properties of Revised Conflict Tactics Scales: Portuguese Sibling Version (CTS2-SP). Journal of Family Violence, 28, 577-585. doi: 10.1007/s10896-013-9530-08

Rinaldi, C., & Howe, N. (1998). Siblings reports of conflict and the quality of their relationships. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 44, 404-422.

Rittenour, C., Myers, S., & Brann, M. (2007). Commitment and emotional closeness in the sibling relationship. Southern Communication Journal, 72, 169-183.

Roscoe, B., Goodwin, M. P., & Kennedy, D. (1987). Sibling violence and agonistic interactions experienced by early adolescents. Journal of Family Violence, 2, 121-137.

Sholte, S., Engels, R., Kemp, R., Harakeh, Z., & Overbeek, G. (2007). Differential parental treatment, sibling relationships and delinquency in adolescence. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 36, 661-671. doi: 10.1007/s10964-006-9155-1

Soysal, F. (2016). A study on sibling relationships, life satisfaction and loneliness level of adolescents. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 4(4), 58-67.

Straus, M. A., Hamby, S. L., Finkelhor, D., Boney-McCoy, S., & Sugarman, D. B. (1995). Conflict Tactics Scales form: CTS2-SP. In M. Straus (Ed.), Handbook of Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS): Including revised versions of CTS2 and CTS2 PC (pp. 61-64). Durham, NH: Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire.

Teven, J. J., Martinn, M. M., & Neupauer, N. C. (1998). Sibling relationships: Verbally aggressive message and their effect on relational satisfaction. Communication Reports, 11, 179-186.

Tibbetts, G., & Scharfe, E. (2015). Oh, brother (or sister)!: An examination of sibling attachment, conflict, and cooperation en emerging adulthood. Journal of Relationships Research, 6(8), 1-11. doi: 10.1017/jrr.2015.4

Toman, W. (1993). Family constellation: Its effects on personality and social behavior. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Trinke, S. J., & Bartholomew, K. (1997). Hierarchies of attachment relationships in young adulthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 14, 603-625.

Tucker, C. J., Finkelhor, D. F., Turner, H., & Shattuck, A. (2013). Association of sibling aggression with child and adolescent mental health. Pediatrics, 132, 79-84. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-3801

Whipple, E., & Finton, S. (1995). Psychological maltreatment by siblings: An unrecognized form of abuse. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 12, 135-146. doi: 10.1007/BF01876209

Whiteman, S., McHale, S., & Soli, A. (2011). Theoretical perspectives on sibling relationships. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 3, 124-139. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-2589.2011.00087.x

Wiehe, V. R. (1997). Sibling abuse: Hidden physical, emotional, and sexual trauma (2nd ed.). California: Sage Publications.

Wolf, L., Fisman, S., Ellison, D., & Freeman, T. (1998). Effect of sibling perception of differential parental treatment in sibling dyads with one disabled child. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37, 1317-1325. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199812000-00016




DOI: https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.1645

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Nº ERC: 107494 | ISSN (in print): 0870-8231 | ISSN (online): 1646-6020 | Copyright © ISPA - CRL, 2012 | Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa | NIF: 501313672 | The portal and metadata are licensed under the license Creative Commons CC BY-NC