This study examined the similarities and differences in the adolescent monozygotic (MZ) twin and same-sex dyzygotic (DZss) twin sibling relationship. Specific constructs investigated were: companionship, empathy, directiveness/teaching, avoidance, rivalry, and aggression. Participants included 192 same-sex twin pairs, age 9 - 18, and their biological parents. The data is part of a national study from the Non-Shared Environment in Adolescent Development Project. The nationally representative data set provided a measure of the Sibling Inventory of Behavior - Expanded Version (Anderson & Rice, 1999), whereby each participant individually responded to the paper-pencil questionnaire. Twinship status differences, gender differences, reporter differences and reporter by twinship interactions were examined. The results found significant differences between MZ twins and DZss twins on the constructs of empathy, companionship, avoidance, rivalry, and aggression. MZ twins demonstrated and reported higher levels of empathy and companionship and lower levels of avoidance, rivalry, and aggression, when compared to DZss twins. There was no interaction effect of twinship by gender, except on directiveness/teaching; however, significant differences were found between male MZ/DZss twins and female MZ/DZss twins on the constructs of empathy, companionship, directiveness/teaching, and avoidance. Female MZ/DZ twins reported and demonstrated higher levels of empathy, companionship, and directiveness/teaching, and lower levels of avoidance. Overall, there were no reporter differences between twins on any of the six constructs. There were significant differences between parental perceptions and twin perceptions on empathy, companionship, directiveness/teaching, rivalry and aggression. A significant difference between mothers and fathers was found on the constructs of empathy and avoidance. On the construct of avoidance, mothers and fathers differed from each other, however, fathers did not differ from the twins. There was no twinship by reporter interaction effect, except on directiveness/teaching. Overall, the results suggest that MZ twins report and are perceived as having a more positive relationship than DZss twins. The results also support the need for multireporter research in order to obtain a truer picture of the family relationship. The gender findings further extend the understanding of the role of gender in the sibling relationship. Lastly, due to the paucity of twin research, the results aid in the development of a framework for understanding the adolescent twin relationship.

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published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Master / Doctor of Medicine

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Economics and Finance / Master / Master of Philosophy

The primary objective of this study was the development and investigation of the psychometric properties of a measurement instrument based on the integrated model of behavior roles of offspring of alcoholic parents (Schneider, 1989,1995). The Behavior Role Scale was developed utilizing Crocker and Algina's (1986) 10 step instrument development process and deals directly with the concepts of the original models of behavior roles of offspring of alcoholic parents (Black, 1981; Booz-Allen & Hamilton, 1974; Deutsch, 1983; Kritzberg, 1985; Wegscheider, 1981). The first three steps of the instrument development were completed in an earlier investigation (Schneider, 1989). In this investigation, steps 4 - 8 were completed. The following activities were undertaken: step 4, the construction of an initial pool of items; step 5, the review and revision of the items with the assistance of a panel of experts; step 6, a preliminary tryout of the items in a pilot test; step 7, a field test of the instrument with a nonclinical sample of offspring of alcoholic parents and offspring of nonalcoholic parents; and, step 8, initial investigation of the psychometric properties of the behavior role scale. This investigation contributed the following findings. The field test yielded reliability estimates of .72 for the Caretaker, .67 for the Super Achiever, .86 for the Invisible One, .89 for the Jester, .78 for the Rebel, and an overall alpha of .88. Initial validity was indicated by the emergence of a five factor model as the most interpretable factor analysis solution. The performance of the Behavior Role Scale was also investigated using six validity issues identified in the literature. Offspring of alcoholic parents, offspring of nonalcoholic parents who had experienced a significant family disruption, and offspring of nonalcoholic parents who had not experienced a significant family disruption had significantly different scores with the Super Achiever, Invisible One, and Rebel roles. The three groups did not demonstrate significant differences with the Caretaker or Jester roles. Additional significant differences were discovered with the Jester and Rebel roles among offspring of alcoholic fathers when they were compared according to their fathers' pattern of drinking. The findings of this investigation add to the research evidence which suggests that refinements need to be made to improve the clinical and psycho-educational uses of the behavior roles of offspring of alcoholic parents. Recommendations for future research include submitting the Behavior Role Scale to construct validation studies in order to further refine its ability to measure behavior roles and to be of assistance to researchers seeking to unravel the complexities of life for more than 28 million offspring of alcoholic parents.