Sibling Relationships Across the Life Span

258 Pages·1995·16.02 MB·English

by  Victor G. Cicirelli (auth.)

SIBLING
RELA TIONSH IPS
ACROSS THE
LIFE SPAN
SIBLING
RELATIONSH IPS
ACROSS THE
LIFE SPAN
VICTOR G. CICIRELLI
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
On file
Cicirelli. Victor O.
Sibling relationships across the life span I Victor O. Ciclrelli.
p. em.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and indexes.
ISBN 978-1-4757-6511-3 ISBN 978-1-4757-6509-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4757-6509-0
1. Brothers and sisters. 2. Developmental psychology. 1. Title.
BF723.S43C53 1995
306.875--dc20 95-18584
CIP
Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data
ISBN 978-1-4757-6511-3
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York
Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1995
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1995
1098765432
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or
otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
Preface
When one begins to examine the existing literature dealing with siblings,
one soon becomes aware that many separate domains of sibling research
exist and that there is little connection between them; for example, sibling
relationships in early childhood, genetic and environmental influences on
individual differences between siblings, dysfunctional sibling relation
ships, adult sibling helping relationships, sibling violence and abuse, and
so on.
The author's aim in writing this book was to attempt to bring together
for the first time studies from diverse areas of sibling research into a single
volume. The book is a summary and integration of the various domains of
sibling studies, extending across the life span where studies exist to make
this possible.
Although many gaps in the sibling research literature within and
between domains of study and over the life span still exist, it is hoped that
this book will motivate others to help fill in the gaps by suggesting direc
tions where further research is needed.
Following a brief introduction, the book begins by presenting a broad
theoretical framework for sibling research, followed by a discussion of
methodological problems confronting the sibling researcher. Other chap
ters review research on sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence,
and in adulthood and old age. Cross-cultural evidence for the universality
of the sibling relationship is examined and cultural differences noted. A
hermeneutic study of the relationships of a single family of adult siblings,
their spouses, and their parents provides new understandings of how
adult sibling relationships are maintained. Next, sibling helping relation
ships are examined across the life span, as well as the cooperative relation
ships between adult siblings as they endeavor to help their aging parents.
The latter portion of the book is devoted to special topics concerning
sibling relationships: those where a sibling is chronically ill, disabled, or
v
vi PREFACE
mentally retarded, those where there is sibling conflict, violence, and
abuse, those where a sibling relationship is incestuous or sexually abusive,
those where a sibling has died, and those dysfunctional sibling relation
ships where some form of therapy is needed. An epilogue attempts to
make the case for integration of sibling research across the life span,
suggesting that approaches used and topics studied in one portion of the
life span might profitably be applied to other portions, and proposing that
life span attachment theory could provide a unifying theoretical basis for
sibling relationships across the life span and account for diverse sibling
phenomena.
The book is intended for a broad academic audience, including re
searchers, professionals, clinicians, and students. Although it was not the
author's intention to produce a textbook, the book might be used as a
supplementary text for advanced undergraduates and graduate students
in courses on family relationships that include the study of siblings. Fi
nally, the book may have appeal to a more general audience of individuals
who are interested in the topic of sibling relationships.
VICTOR G. CICIRELLI
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction: The Importance of Sibling Relationships 1
Unique Characteristics of Sibling Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Meanings and Distinctions ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Importance of Studying Sibling Relationships .............. 5
Demographic Changes ...................................... 10
Concluding Comments ...................................... 11
Chapter 2
A Life Span Perspective for Sibling Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Life Span Time Frame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Development and Aging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Kinship. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . 17
Sibling Constellation ........................................ 18
Structure and Process ....................................... 19
Person and Context ......................................... 20
Partial Systems ............................................. 24
A Perspective for Sibling Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chapter 3
Methodological Approaches and Issues in Studying Siblings 27
Identifying Sibling Populations and Selecting Samples .......... 27
Methods of Data Collection .................................. 34
vii
viii CONTENTS
Sources of Sibling Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Chapter 4
Siblings in Childhood and Adolescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Developmental Changes in Sibling Relationships ............... 41
Explaining Individual Differences in Siblings and in Their
Relationships ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Chapter 5
Siblings in Adulthood and Old Age 53
Existence of the Sibling Relationship in Adulthood ............. 53
Aspects of the Sibling Relationship ........................... 55
Changes in Sibling Relationships ............................. 60
Effects of Siblings on Well-Being . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Theoretical Explanations for Adult Sibling Relationships ........ 65
Chapter 6
Sibling Relationships in Cross-Cultural Perspective 69
Universality of Sibling Relationships .......................... 69
Identification of Siblings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Differences in Sibling Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Sibling Caretaking in Childhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Marriage Arrangements of Siblings ........................... 79
Sibling Relationships in Adulthood ........................... 81
Effects of Cultural Change on Sibling Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Conclusion ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Chapter 7
Understanding Sibling Relationships: A Hermeneutic
Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Study Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Background Characteristics of Family Members ................ 89
Family Climate ............................................. 90
CONTENTS ix
Influence of Sibling Structure ................................ 92
Sibling Perceptions of One Another .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Spouses' Perceptions of the Siblings .......................... 99
Sibling Communication and Contact .......................... 101
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105
Chapter 8
Sibling Helping Relationships 109
Sibling Help in Childhood and Adolescence ................... 110
Sibling Helping Relationships in Adulthood ................... 114
Sibling Helping Relationships in Old Age ..................... 115
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 122
Chapter 9
Siblings as Caregivers of Elderly Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 123
Which Siblings in the Family Help and How Much? ... . . . . . . . .. 123
Decision Making by Adult Siblings ........................... 127
Factors Influencing Sibling Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Effects of Parent Caregiving on Adult Siblings ................. 131
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 135
Clwpter 10
Siblings with Mental Retardation, Illness, or Disability 137
Some Preliminary Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 137
Siblings in Childhood and Adolescence ....................... 139
Siblings in Adulthood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 144
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Clwpter 11
Sibling Conflict, Aggression, Violence, and Abuse 151
Definitions and Distinctions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Prevalence of Conflict, Aggression, Violence, and Abuse ........ 157
Developmental Course of Conflict, Aggression, Violence,
and Abuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . 159
x CONTENTS
Factors Associated with Sibling Conflict ....................... 160
Factors Associated with Siblings' Conflict Management Modes .. 164
Factors Associated with Outcomes and Consequences of Conflict 165
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 167
Chapter 12
Sibling Sexual Experiences: Normal Exploratory Behavior,
Nonabusive Incest, and Abusive Incest ...................... 169
Normal Sexual Behavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Normal Sibling Sexual Behavior in Childhood and Adolescence.. 170
Incest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Prevalence of Nonabusive and Abusive Sibling Incest. . . . . . . . . .. 173
Effects of Sibling Incest .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 176
Factors Associated with Sibling Incest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 180
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Chapter 13
Loss of Siblings through Death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Loss in Childhood .......................................... 186
Loss in Adolescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 192
Loss in Adulthood and Old Age. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 196
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Chapter 14
Siblings and Psychotherapy 201
Sibling Therapy as an Adjunct to Family Therapy .............. 202
Sibling Therapy as an Adjunct to Individual Therapy. . . . . . . . . .. 203
Sibling Therapy Used Alone ................................. 204
Sibling Therapy in Childhood and Adolescence ................ 206
Sibling Therapy in Adulthood and Old Age ................... 209
Chapter 15
Epilogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 215
Integrating Research across the Life Span. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 215
Attachment Theory: A Unifying Theory for Life Span Sibling
Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 222
CONTENTS xi
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 225
Author Index .............................................. 247
Subject Index .............................................. 253