Submission Type

Poster

Start Date

4-21-2022

Abstract

For most people, sibling relationships endure longer than parent-child relationships, friendships, or romantic relationships, and there is evidence they continue to be important throughout the lifespan. However, research on sibling relationships has been concentrated in childhood and adolescence; we know relatively little about sibling relationships in early adulthood or about the extent to which they show continuity from earlier phases of development. As part of a longitudinal study of sibling and friend relationships, we examined siblings’ perceptions of their relationship in adolescence and early adulthood. Twenty-five sibling pairs completed questionnaires about their relationship during late adolescence and early adulthood. The adolescent questionnaire was an age-adjusted questionnaire developed for use in the longitudinal study; it included five scales (Asymmetry, Intimacy, Prosocial/Harmony, Relational Aggression, and Conflict). The questionnaire used during the early adulthood phase of the study as the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Stocker et al., 1997); it included 12 scales (Similarity, Intimacy, Quarreling, Affection, Antagonism, Admiration, Emotional Support, Competition, Instrumental Support, Domination, Acceptance, and Knowledge). During both adolescence and early adulthood, the more positive dimensions (i.e, Intimacy, Prosocial/Harmony, Similarity, Affection, Admiration, Emotional Support, Acceptance, and Knowledge) were positively intercorrelated. Similarly, the more negative dimensions (i.e., Relational Aggression, Conflict, Quarreling, and Dominance) were positively intercorrelated. Positive and negative dimensions were negatively intercorrelated at both ages. There were also significant correlations across the two ages, with adolescent intimacy and prosocial/harmony predicting positive relationship qualities in early adulthood and adolescent conflict and relational aggression predicting some negative qualities in early adulthood.

Comments

Sponsored by Ganie DeHart

COinS
 
Apr 21st, 12:00 AM

078 -- Siblings' Perceptions of Their Relationship in Adolescence and Early Adulthood

For most people, sibling relationships endure longer than parent-child relationships, friendships, or romantic relationships, and there is evidence they continue to be important throughout the lifespan. However, research on sibling relationships has been concentrated in childhood and adolescence; we know relatively little about sibling relationships in early adulthood or about the extent to which they show continuity from earlier phases of development. As part of a longitudinal study of sibling and friend relationships, we examined siblings’ perceptions of their relationship in adolescence and early adulthood. Twenty-five sibling pairs completed questionnaires about their relationship during late adolescence and early adulthood. The adolescent questionnaire was an age-adjusted questionnaire developed for use in the longitudinal study; it included five scales (Asymmetry, Intimacy, Prosocial/Harmony, Relational Aggression, and Conflict). The questionnaire used during the early adulthood phase of the study as the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Stocker et al., 1997); it included 12 scales (Similarity, Intimacy, Quarreling, Affection, Antagonism, Admiration, Emotional Support, Competition, Instrumental Support, Domination, Acceptance, and Knowledge). During both adolescence and early adulthood, the more positive dimensions (i.e, Intimacy, Prosocial/Harmony, Similarity, Affection, Admiration, Emotional Support, Acceptance, and Knowledge) were positively intercorrelated. Similarly, the more negative dimensions (i.e., Relational Aggression, Conflict, Quarreling, and Dominance) were positively intercorrelated. Positive and negative dimensions were negatively intercorrelated at both ages. There were also significant correlations across the two ages, with adolescent intimacy and prosocial/harmony predicting positive relationship qualities in early adulthood and adolescent conflict and relational aggression predicting some negative qualities in early adulthood.

 

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