The Sibling Niche Differentiation Model (Sulloway, 1996) suggests that an individual’s birth order acting as a proxy for within-family environmental factors like age, size and strength relative to ones siblings influences the strategies used to gain resources and minimize sibling conflict. Recent within-family birth order research (for example Paulhus, Trapnell and Chen, 1999; Healey & Ellis, 2007) has found a systematic effect of birth order on personality, with firstborn siblings found to be more conscientious and secondborn siblings more open to experience. However, an examination of birth-order effects by independent raters, has been lacking in the birth order literature. Furthermore no prior examination comparing the type of stimulus material used to elicit participant responses has been conducted. Study 1 (N = 203) sought to replicate previous birth order findings for the two Big-5 traits Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience, while also testing an alternative explanation (hypo-masculinization hypothesis) for observed birth-order differences (Beer & Horn, 2000). Study 2 compared the efficacy of four different types of stimulus material (rankings, ratings, independent ratings and real-world scenarios) in observing birth order effects (combined N = 544), while also testing novel predictions about the saliency and generalisability of birth-order effects on personality outside the context of the family. General support was found for the Sibling Niche Differentiation Model across studies and across stimulus materials, but limited support was found for the nature of within family personality differences between siblings extending to contexts outside the family environment.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Sept. 4, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p.151-164 ).

The purpose of this study is to examine instances of naturally occurring conversations between twin siblings. This study uses both conversation analysis and semi-structured interviews to investigate communication patterns and practices in everyday twin-to-twin talk. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What pragmatic features of analytic interest are present in twin-to-twin talk? (2) What pragmatic features of analytic interest are present when twins interact with other members of the family system? There were a total of six sets of twin siblings between the ages of 10 and 15 who engaged in participant self-taping and semi-structured interviews. Although it did not have an observable effect on the findings, there were five sets of dizygotic (fraternal) twins and one set of monozygotic (identical) twins. Eight parents were interviewed and four parents participated in the conversations with the twin siblings. Findings suggest that certain communication practices and Phenomena are present in twin siblings' conversations, though not necessarily uniquely. Simultaneous speech is a conversational practice evident in every set of twin siblings' transcripts, serving as a completion to the other's utterance. In the presence of parents, it functions as a competitive move, other-initiated repair, and entertainment. As the twins conversed alone, extension/completion of the other twin's utterance served as a way to verify reported speech. It functions as support, verification, competition, and a way to gain attention when talking in front of a parent. The joint conversational performance act of code-switching was a practice used for entertainment by the twins when conversing alone. It served as a way to prove a point and to entertain as they interacted with a parent. Conversational phenomena included testing, and speaking for one's twin. Twins engaged in testing while conversing alone to show support for their twin. As they engaged in talk with a parent present, it served as competition/support, role confirmation/enactment, and identification/deidentification between the twin siblings. Speaking for one's twin could only occur while the twins were conversing in front of a parent. It functioned as a competitive move, as support, and as a way to gain attention.

Autonomy-supportive parenting yields manifold benefits. To gain more insight into the family-level dynamics involved in autonomy-supportive parenting, the present study addressed three issues. First, on the basis of self-determination theory, we examined whether mothers’ satisfaction of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness related to autonomy-supportive parenting. Second, we investigated maternal autonomy support as an intervening variable in the mother–child similarity in psychological need satisfaction. Third, we examined associations between autonomy-supportive parenting and autonomy-supportive sibling interactions. Participants were 154 mothers (M age = 39.45, SD = 3.96) and their two elementary school-age children (M age = 8.54, SD = 0.89 and M age = 10.38, SD = 0.87). Although mothers’ psychological need satisfaction related only to maternal autonomy support in the younger siblings, autonomy-supportive parenting related to psychological need satisfaction in both siblings and to an autonomy-supportive interaction style between siblings. We discuss the importance of maternal autonomy support for family-level dynamics. / Peer review

Acculturation and enculturation processes and sibling relationship quality are important constructs for understanding the psychosocial wellbeing of immigrant adolescents. In this thesis, I used a mixed-method approach to (a) understand how similar or different siblings’ cultural orientations are, (b) the role siblings may play in shaping one another’s cultural orientation, and (c) how changes in cultural orientation are related to sibling relationship quality. Quantitative data were collected from 31 adolescent sibling dyads at two time points, and qualitative data were collected from individual interviews with 16 young adults. Participants in both samples identified as having a Chinese cultural background and immigrated to Canada with their family before the age of 14. The results of the qualitative interviews suggested that siblings often perceived themselves as culturally similar, although the quantitative data were not congruent with that view. There was ample evidence that siblings influence one another’s cultural profiles. For example, in the quantitative data, higher cultural involvement by one sibling, especially in the Canadian dimension, predicted decreases in the other sibling’s involvement in that same domain 18 months later. These patterns were corroborated with themes derived through the interviews. The thematic analyses identified five factors that fostered similarities and differences in the cultural profiles of immigrant siblings, as well as four themes describing the perceived effects of being similar or different. The qualitative findings suggested that there are few cultural conflicts among siblings. Instead, siblings act as cultural mediators in parent-child conflicts, and they are in a unique position to understand and support each other. This study provided preliminary insight into how similar or different Chinese immigrant siblings are in a Canadian metropolitan context. Overall, the findings illustrate ways in which siblings play an important role in the family by supporting one another in adjusting to life in Canada. / Graduate

This study used population level administrative data from the B. C. Ministry of Health to assess the health of parents and siblings of children who have a developmental disability. The study found strong evidence that parents and siblings of children who have a developmental disability experience higher odds of a depression or other mental health diagnosis compared to parents and siblings of children who do not have a developmental disability. In addition, there was evidence that in families with a child with a developmental disability, parents and siblings who are diagnosed with depression or another mental health problem visit physicians and/or the hospital to a greater extent than parents and siblings who are diagnosed with depression or a mental health problem but do not have a family member with a developmental disability. These findings indicate that parents and siblings of children who have a developmental disability are a vulnerable group in need of programs and services that support their mental health. / Graduate / 2019-07-17

abstract: Family caregivers are a quickly growing population in American society and are potentially vulnerable to a number of risks to well-being. High stress and little support can combine to cause difficulties in personal and professional relationships, physical health, and emotional health. Siblings are, however, a possible source of protection for the at-risk caregiver. This study examines the relational and health outcomes of gratitude exchange between caregivers and their siblings as they attend to the issue of caring for aging parents. Dyadic data was collected through an online survey and was analyzed using a series of Actor-Partner Interdependence Models. Intimacy and care conflict both closely relate to gratitude exchange, but the most significant variable influencing gratitude was role. Specifically, caregivers are neither experiencing nor expressing gratitude on the same level as their siblings. Expressed gratitude did not relate strongly or consistently to well-being variables, though it did relate to diminished negative affect. Implications for theory, the caregiver, the sibling, the elder, the practitioner, and the researcher are addressed in the discussion. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Communication 2014

Background: Diabetes is one of Sweden's national diseases. Around 7000 children live with type 1 diabetes in Sweden today. The diagnosis requires planning of everyday life and revaluation of routines which places great demands on the family. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe parents and siblings' experiences of living with a child or young adult diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Method: The study was designed as a literature-based study to contribute to evidence-based nursing based on analysis of qualitative research to reach a deeper understanding of families' experiences. An analysis of thirteen qualitative articles resulted in four main themes and ten subthemes. Results: The results of the study showed that the whole family is affected when a child gets diabetes. That the child was diagnosed was a shock that caused many feelings with both parents and siblings. There was a constant concern for complications in both the long and short term, resulting in a fear to hand over responsibility, causing a huge pressure on parents who could feel isolated. Conclusion: The families experienced strong feelings when the child was diagnosed. The families needed support from the healthcare professionals to be able to handle the disease.

Syftet med denna systematiska litteraturöversikt är att undersöka vilka förebyggande metoder och/eller modeller som finns för att bemöta syskon till grovt kriminella ungdomar. Studien syftar dessutom på att jämföra metodernas olika för- och nackdelar. Resultaten i denna studie är framtagna genom att använda databaserna Libsearch och ProQuest. Vald litteratur har lästs och analyserats upprepade gånger, och två teman valdes för att beskriva artiklarnas fokus, och koppling till studiens syfte och frågeställningar. Valda teman är 1) intervention metoder, och 2) fördelar med MST. Trots en bristande mängd forskning på området så pekar resultatet på att familjeterapin Multisystemisk Terapi (MST) är den dominerande metoden. Förutom fokus på den kriminella individen i MST så involveras syskonet och påverkas direkt, eller indirekt i MST. Till skillnad från individuell terapi (IT) där endast den kriminella ungdomen involveras så sjunker risken att syskonet börjar begå brott markant med MST. Forskningen inom detta område behöver utökas och metoder och arbetssätt går att förbättra. / The aim with this systematic literature review is to investigate the intervention methods and/or models available to deal with siblings for serious criminal youths. The study also aims to compare the methods pros and cons. The results are produced by using the databases Libsearch and ProQuest. Chosen literature has been read and analysed several times, and two themes was selected to describe the articles focus and connection to the study’s aim and research questions. The chosen themes are 1) intervention methods, and 2) advantages with MST. Despite a small amount of research in the field, the result indicates that the family therapy method Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a dominant method in the field. Except only focusing on the criminal individual in MST, the sibling is involved and directly or indirectly affected. Unlike individual therapy (IT) involving only the criminal juvenile, the risk of the sibling beginning to commit crimes significantly decreases with MST. Research in this area needs to be expanded and methods and ways of working can be improved.

Researchers have begun to explore the role that family members play in maintaining or recovering from an eating disorder. However, little research has addressed the sibling relationship, including nurturance, quarreling, and favoritism. Self-report questionnaires were collected from 120 girls and 87 boys in middle school (N=161) or high school (N=46). Linear regressions, ANOVAs and mediation analyses were conducted to determine the effects of siblings on adolescents’ disordered eating. Sibling favoritism and modeling of bulimic behavior were the only variables significantly related to relationship quality. Our results indicate that family dynamics and structure may play a larger role in adolescent maladaptive behavior than sibling relationship quality. Additionally, sibling relationship quality, bulimic modeling and sibling favoritism may be part of a very complex process leading to disordered eating behavior. Future research should continue to utilize the sibling subsystem as a means of understanding the development of disordered eating behavior among adolescents.