What Makes Siblings Different? The Development of Sibling Differences in Academic Achievement and Interests

PubMed Central

Jensen, Alexander C.; McHale, Susan M.

2015-01-01

To illuminate processes that contribute to the development of sibling differences, this study examined cross lagged links between parents’ beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability and differences between siblings’ grade point averages (GPAs), and cross lagged links between differences in siblings’ GPAs and sibling differences in academic interests. Data were collected from mothers, fathers, firstborn (M age at Time 1 = 15.71, SD = 1.07) and secondborn (M age at Time 1 = 13.18, SD = 1.29) youth from 388 European American Families on three annual occasions. Findings revealed that, after controlling for siblings’ average grades and prior differences in performance, parents’ beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability predicted differences in performance such that youth rated by parents as relatively more competent than their sibling earned relatively higher grades the following year. Siblings’ relative school performance, however, did not predict parents’ beliefs about differences between siblings’ competencies. Further, after controlling for average interests and grades, sibling differences in GPA predicted differences in siblings’ interests such that youth who had better grades than their siblings reported relatively stronger academic interests the following year. Differences in interest, however, did not predict sibling differences in GPA. Findings are discussed in terms the role of sibling dynamics in family socialization. PMID:26053351

Sibling Differences in Parent-Child Conflict and Risky Behavior: A 3-Wave Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Lam, Chun Bun; Solmeyer, Anna R.; McHale, Susan M.

2012-01-01

To better understand why siblings growing up in the same family are often as different as unrelated individuals, this study explored the role of differential experiences with parents in the development of sibling differences. Cross-lagged models tested directions of effect by examining whether differential parent-child conflict predicted sibling differences in risky behavior over time, or vice versa. Participants were mothers, fathers, and the two eldest adolescent siblings (mean ages at Time 1 = 15.12 and 12.58 years) from 355 European American, work- and middle-class families. On three occasions over a 2-year period, mothers and fathers reported on their conflict with each of the two siblings, and siblings reported on their own risky behavior. Results revealed that, controlling for sibling age differences and average levels of conflict and risky behavior at Time 1, youths who had more conflict with their mothers and fathers relative to their siblings subsequently engaged in relatively more risky behavior. Also, youths who engaged in more risky behavior relative to their siblings experienced relatively more conflict with their fathers, but not mothers, at later time points. Findings highlight the importance of examining both family dynamics and child characteristics in understanding sibling differentiation, and illuminate potential differences in parenting processes involving mothers versus fathers. PMID:22775198

Siblings, parents, and partners: family relationships within a longitudinal community study. ALSPAC study team. Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood.

PubMed

Dunn, J; Deater-Deckard, K; Pickering, K; Golding, J

1999-10-01

Links between sibling relationships, mother-partner, and parent-child relationships were studied in a longitudinal community sample of 3681 sibling pairs. Individual differences in sibling relationship quality were related to mother-partner affection and hostility assessed 4 years earlier, to contemporary parent-child negativity, and to indices of social adversity. Evidence for both direct and indirect pathways (via parent-child relations) linking mother-partner and sibling relations were found. Comparisons of prediction for non-stepfamilies and stepfather families showed similarities in patterns of association, but also differences: In stepfather families, mother-partner hostility was unrelated to parent-child negativity and sibling relationship quality. Both positivity and negativity towards young siblings decreased with the age of older siblings, and older sisters were more positive than older brothers.

Mechanisms of Sibling Socialization in Normative Family Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteman, Shawn D.; Becerra, Julia M.; Killoren, Sarah E.

2009-01-01

Siblings are important sources of social influence throughout childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, the processes by which siblings influence one another remain relatively unexplored. We highlight two theories of sibling influence--sibling deidentification and social learning--that offer insights as to how and why siblings develop similar and…

Reciprocal and Complementary Sibling Interactions: Relations with Socialization Outcomes in the Kindergarten Classroom

PubMed Central

Harrist, Amanda W.; Achacoso, Joseph A.; John, Aesha; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2013-01-01

Research Findings To examine associations between sibling interaction patterns and later social outcomes in single- and two-parent families, 113 kindergarteners took part in naturalistic observations at home with siblings, classmates participated in sociometric interviews, and teachers completed behavior ratings. Sibling interactions were coded using a newly-developed 39-item checklist, and proportions of complementary and reciprocal sibling interactions computed. Complementarity occurred more among dyads where kindergartners were with toddler or infant siblings than among kindergartners with older or near-age younger siblings. Higher levels of complementarity predicted lower levels of internalizing but were not related to externalizing problems. Kindergartners’ sociometric status in the classroom differed as a function of sibling interaction patterns, with neglected and controversial children experiencing less complementarity/more reciprocity than popular, average, and rejected children. Finally, there was some evidence for differential associations of sibling interaction patterns with social outcomes for children in single- versus two-parent families: regressions testing interaction effects show sibling reciprocity positively associated with kindergartners’ social skills only in single-parent families, and complementary sibling interactions positively related to internalizing problems only in two-parent families. Implications for Practice Those working with divorcing or other single-parent families might consider sibling interactions as a potential target for social skill building. PMID:26005311

The Drift toward Problem Behavior during the Transition to Adolescence: The Contributions of Youth Disclosure, Parenting, and Older Siblings.

PubMed

Low, Sabina; Snyder, James; Shortt, Joann Wu

2012-03-01

Prospective associations of mothers' parenting processes, youth disclosure and youth problem behavior were examined in a longitudinal design following 244 adolescent sibling dyads over a three year period. For both siblings, authoritative parenting was positively associated with youth disclosure and negatively related to problem behavior, and coercive parenting was negatively associated with youth disclosure and positively related to problem behavior. When the influence of older sibling problem behavior on younger sibling problem behavior was modeled, younger sibling disclosure accounted for the relationship of maternal parenting processes to problem behavior. Findings indicate the important role of sibling influence in the development of problem behavior, contextualizing the relative roles of maternal parenting and youth disclosure in the transmission of risk.

The Drift toward Problem Behavior during the Transition to Adolescence: The Contributions of Youth Disclosure, Parenting, and Older Siblings

PubMed Central

Low, Sabina; Snyder, James; Shortt, Joann Wu

2013-01-01

Prospective associations of mothers’ parenting processes, youth disclosure and youth problem behavior were examined in a longitudinal design following 244 adolescent sibling dyads over a three year period. For both siblings, authoritative parenting was positively associated with youth disclosure and negatively related to problem behavior, and coercive parenting was negatively associated with youth disclosure and positively related to problem behavior. When the influence of older sibling problem behavior on younger sibling problem behavior was modeled, younger sibling disclosure accounted for the relationship of maternal parenting processes to problem behavior. Findings indicate the important role of sibling influence in the development of problem behavior, contextualizing the relative roles of maternal parenting and youth disclosure in the transmission of risk. PMID:23667299

Still the Favorite? Parents' Differential Treatment of Siblings Entering Young Adulthood.

PubMed

Siennick, Sonja E

2013-08-01

This study examined within-family stability in parents' differential treatment of siblings from adolescence to young adulthood and the effect of differential treatment in young adulthood on grown siblings' relationship quality. The author used longitudinal data on parent - child and sibling relations from the sibling sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health ( N = 1,470 sibling dyads). Within-dyad fixed effects regression models revealed that the adolescent sibling who was closer to parents went on to be the young adult sibling who was closer to and received more material support from parents. Results from an actor - partner interdependence model revealed that differential parental financial assistance of young adult siblings predicted worse sibling relationship quality. These findings demonstrate the lasting importance of affect between parents and offspring earlier in the family life course and the relevance of within-family inequalities for understanding family relations.

Sibling Relationships and Adolescents' Mental Health: The Interrelationship of Structure and Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Anastasia S. Vogt

2009-01-01

Although sibling structure influences some aspects of adolescents' well-being, including deviance and educational achievement, little research has explored the association between sibling structure and adolescents' mental health. This study explores how sibling structure (the number of siblings, full versus step- or half-siblings, the relative age…

The association between unequal parental treatment and the sibling relationship in Finland: The difference between full and half-siblings.

PubMed

Danielsbacka, Mirkka; Tanskanen, Antti O

2015-06-24

Studies have shown that unequal parental treatment is associated with relationship quality between siblings. However, it is unclear how it affects the relationship between full and half-siblings. Using data from the Generational Transmissions in Finland project (n = 1,537 younger adults), we study whether those who have half-siblings perceive more unequal parental treatment than those who have full siblings only. In addition, we study how unequal parental treatment is associated with sibling relationship between full, maternal, and paternal half-siblings. First, we found that individuals who have maternal and/or paternal half-siblings are more likely to have encountered unequal maternal treatment than individuals who have full siblings only. Second, we found that unequal parental treatment impairs full as well as maternal and paternal half-sibling relations in adulthood. Third, unequal parental treatment mediates the effect of genetic relatedness on sibling relations in the case of maternal half-siblings, but not in the case of paternal half-siblings. After controlling for unequal parental treatment, the quality of maternal half-sibling relationships did not differ from that of full siblings, whereas the quality of paternal half-sibling relationships still did. Fourth, the qualitative comments (n = 206) from the same population reveal that unequal parental treatment presents itself several ways, such as differential financial, emotional, or practical support.

Psychosocial Adjustment and Sibling Relationships in Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Risk and Protective Factors.

PubMed

Walton, Katherine M; Ingersoll, Brooke R

2015-09-01

This study compared sibling adjustment and relationships in siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD-Sibs; n = 69) and siblings of children with typical development (TD-Sibs; n = 93). ASD-Sibs and TD-Sibs demonstrated similar emotional/behavioral adjustment. Older male ASD-Sibs were at increased risk for difficulties. Sibling relationships of ASD-Sibs involved less aggression, less involvement, and more avoidance than those of TD-Sibs. Partial support for a diathesis-stress conceptualization of sibling difficulties was found for ASD-Sibs. For TD-Sibs, broader autism phenotype (BAP) was related to psychosocial difficulties regardless of family stressors. For ASD-Sibs, BAP was related to difficulties only when family stressors were present. This suggests that having a sibling with ASD may be a protective factor that attenuates the negative impact of sibling BAP.

Relationship of Sibling Structure and Interaction to Categorization Ability. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicirelli, Victor G.; And Others

This study identified behaviors of sibling pairs interacting on a cognitive task and related these behaviors to sibling structure variables (age and sex of each sibling and age spacing between them) and to measure of cognitive abilities of the younger sibling. Subjects were 160 sibling pairs randomly selected from appropriate subpopulations of…

The Impact of Sibling Warmth and Conflict on Children's Social Competence with Peers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Rebecca L.; Kitzmann, Katherine M.; Cohen, Robert

2001-01-01

Examined links between children's sibling and peer relationships. Found that sibling warmth was associated with more positive peer relations; sibling conflict was associated with both positive and negative peer outcomes, independent of sibling warmth; and sibling relationships were not more strongly associated with measures of friendships quality…

Do Older Siblings Make a Difference? The Effects of Older Sibling Support and Older Sibling Adjustment on the Adjustment of Socially Disadvantaged Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widmer, Eric D.; Weiss, Christopher C.

2000-01-01

Examined role of support from a well-adjusted older sibling for positive adjustment of disadvantaged inner-city adolescents. Found that sibling support was nonsignificantly related to delinquency, academic success, and mental health for younger siblings. Only when accompanied by a positive image of their older sibling was support associated with…

Sibling influences on prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Hughes, Claire; McHarg, Gabrielle; White, Naomi

2018-04-01

Sibling relationships are characterized by familiarity and emotional intensity. Alongside frequent shared play, sibling interactions feature complementary interactions (e.g. teaching, caregiving) reflecting age-related asymmetries in socio-cognitive skills. These aspects may underpin sibling influences on prosocial behavior: theoretical accounts of social influences on prosocial behavior highlight emotion sharing, goal alignment, the intrinsically rewarding nature of social interaction, and scaffolding of social norms. Taking a fine-grained approach to prosocial behavior, we examine these processes in relation to sibling influences on children's comforting, sharing, and helping. Emergent themes include: developmental change in the nature of sibling influences on prosocial behavior, the need to consider sibling influences in the wider family context, and the importance of individual differences in the quality of sibling relationships. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Birth order rank as a moderator of the relation between behavior problems among children with an autism spectrum disorder and their siblings.

PubMed

Tomeny, Theodore S; Barry, Tammy D; Bader, Stephanie H

2014-02-01

Variability within the literature investigating typically-developing siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder suggests that the quality of sibling outcomes may depend on specific factors. For this study, 42 parents of a child with an autism spectrum disorder and a typically- developing sibling provided data via online questionnaires. Birth order rank of the child with an autism spectrum disorder significantly moderated the relation between externalizing behaviors in children with an autism spectrum disorder and externalizing behaviors in their typically-developing siblings. Children with an autism spectrum disorder and higher levels of behavior problems had typically-developing siblings with higher levels of behavior problems only when the child with an autism spectrum disorder was older. These results provide a hint of clarification about the complex nature of sibling relations, but a great deal more research is needed to further examine outcomes of typically-developing siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

Still the Favorite? Parents’ Differential Treatment of Siblings Entering Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Siennick, Sonja E.

2013-01-01

This study examined within-family stability in parents’ differential treatment of siblings from adolescence to young adulthood and the effect of differential treatment in young adulthood on grown siblings’ relationship quality. The author used longitudinal data on parent – child and sibling relations from the sibling sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 1,470 sibling dyads). Within-dyad fixed effects regression models revealed that the adolescent sibling who was closer to parents went on to be the young adult sibling who was closer to and received more material support from parents. Results from an actor – partner interdependence model revealed that differential parental financial assistance of young adult siblings predicted worse sibling relationship quality. These findings demonstrate the lasting importance of affect between parents and offspring earlier in the family life course and the relevance of within-family inequalities for understanding family relations. PMID:24244050

Family Relationships and Adolescents’ Health Attitudes and Weight: The Understudied Role of Sibling Relationships

PubMed Central

Senguttuvan, Umadevi; Whiteman, Shawn D.; Jensen, Alexander C.

2014-01-01

Family relationships are important predictors of adolescents’ diet, physical activity, and health issues including obesity. Despite their prominence in the family, siblings have received little attention on how they may influence these health-related behaviors. Addressing this gap, the present study examined associations between sibling relationship qualities and adolescents’ health attitudes, exercise behaviors, and weight controlling for other family relationship qualities. Participants included one parent and two adolescent siblings (ages 12 to 19) from 326 families. Multilevel models indicated that net of parent-adolescent relationship qualities and adolescents’ personal characteristics, sibling intimacy was related to healthy attitudes and greater exercise behaviors, whereas sibling conflict was associated with increased risk of being overweight. Links between sibling conflict and weight status, however, were further qualified by gender composition of the sibling dyad. Results highlight the significance of sibling relationships in adolescents’ everyday health attitudes and behaviors and implications for intervention efforts are discussed. PMID:24954967

Aggression by Children Exposed to IPV: Exploring the Role of Child Depressive Symptoms, Trauma-Related Symptoms, & Warmth in Family Relationships.

PubMed

Piotrowski, Caroline C; Cameranesi, Margherita

2018-06-01

Multi-informant reports of aggression by siblings in families with and without a history of IPV were compared. Associations between aggressive behavior and child depressive and trauma-related symptoms, as well as maternal and sibling warmth were also explored. Mothers, observers and the siblings themselves reported on aggressive behaviour. Mothers reported on child trauma-related symptoms while children provided self-report on depressive symptoms and mother-child and sibling warmth. The frequency of observed aggression did not differ across groups on average, although more sibling dyads exposed to IPV engaged in aggression than those not exposed. Child reports of sibling aggression did not differ across groups but mothers reported significantly less aggressive behavior by children exposed to IPV than those not exposed. Regression results indicated that depressive and trauma-related symptoms were significant risk factors for aggression, while the role of mother-child and sibling warmth was more complex. Results were discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework.

Longitudinal Direct and Indirect Pathways Linking Older Sibling Competence to the Development of Younger Sibling Competence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Gene H.; Kim, Sooyeon; Murry, Velma McBride; Brown, Anita C.

2003-01-01

Tested links between early adolescent older sibling (OS) and younger sibling (YS) competence in rural African American families. Found that OS competence was stable across time and related to improvements in mothers' psychological functioning from Wave 1 to Wave 2. Mothers' Wave-2 psychological functioning related to Wave-3 involved-supportive…

Children exposed to intimate partner violence: influences of parenting, family distress, and siblings.

PubMed

Tailor, Ketan; Stewart-Tufescu, Ashley; Piotrowski, Caroline

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between maternal stress, parenting behavior, and sibling adjustment in relation to child trauma symptoms in families with and without a history of intimate partner violence (IPV). Maternal report was used to measure maternal stress and child trauma symptoms, whereas parenting behavior was assessed through an observational measure. Participants consisted of mothers with 2 school-age siblings recruited from the community. Results indicated that violent families reported higher levels of maternal stress and sibling trauma symptoms than nonviolent families, although no differences were found in parenting behavior. Sibling trauma symptoms and negative maternal behavior toward a sibling were strong predictors of trauma symptoms in younger siblings exposed to IPV but only modest predictors for older siblings. Moderator analyses showed that in IPV-affected families, the trauma symptoms of older siblings were related to the trauma symptoms of younger siblings when maternal stress was high. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Sibling configuration predicts individual and descendant socioeconomic success in a modern post-industrial society.

PubMed

Lawson, David W; Makoli, Arijeta; Goodman, Anna

2013-01-01

Growing up with many siblings, at least in the context of modern post-industrial low fertility, low mortality societies, is predictive of relatively poor performance on school tests in childhood, lower levels of educational attainment, and lower income throughout adulthood. Recent studies further indicate these relationships hold across generations, so that the descendants of those who grow up with many siblings are also at an apparent socioeconomic disadvantage. In this paper we add to this literature by considering whether such relationships interact with the sex and relative age of siblings. To do this we utilise a unique Swedish multigenerational birth cohort study that provides sibling configuration data on over 10,000 individuals born in 1915-1929, plus all their direct genetic descendants to the present day. Adjusting for parental and birth characteristics, we find that the 'socioeconomic cost' of growing up in a large family is independent of both the sex of siblings and the sex of the individual. However, growing up with several older as opposed to several younger siblings is predictive of relatively poor performance on school tests and a lower likelihood of progression to tertiary education. This later-born disadvantage also holds across generations, with the children of those with many older siblings achieving lower levels of educational attainment. Despite these differences, we find that while individual and descendant income is negatively related to the number of siblings, it is not influenced by the relative age of siblings. Thus, our findings imply that the educational disadvantage of later-born children, demonstrated here and in numerous other studies, does not necessarily translate into reduced earnings in adulthood. We discuss potential explanations for this pattern of results, and consider some important directions for future research into sibling configuration and wellbeing in modern societies.

Maternal behavior as a predictor of sibling interactions during mealtimes.

PubMed

Mosli, Rana H; Miller, Alison L; Peterson, Karen E; Gearhardt, Ashley N; Lumeng, Julie C

2016-04-01

Children who frequently experience encouragement or pressure to eat are more likely to exhibit less favorable eating behaviors and dietary outcomes. Siblings can encourage or pressure each other to eat during mealtimes, but the role of mothers in shaping sibling mealtime interactions is not understood. The objective of this study was to examine the association between the behavior of mothers and siblings during mealtimes. The associations of maternal presence and maternal engagement with children during mealtimes with encouragements to eat delivered by the child to his/her sibling were examined. Children aged 4-8years (n=73) were videotaped while eating a routine evening meal at home with one sibling present. Encouragement to eat delivered by the index child to the sibling, maternal presence, and non-food-related and food-related maternal engagement were coded from the videotapes. Poisson regression showed that maternal presence was associated with fewer encouragements to eat from the index child to the sibling (rate ratio (RR): 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26, 0.62). Each type of maternal engagement was independently associated with the number of encouragements to eat from the index child to the sibling: maternal engagement that was not food-related was associated with fewer encouragements to eat (RR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.73), while maternal engagement that was food-related was associated with more encouragements to eat (RR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.81). Future studies may explore how sibling interactions may mediate links between maternal behavior during mealtimes and children's health-related outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relative Power in Sibling Relationships across Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindell, Anna K.; Campione-Barr, Nicole

2017-01-01

During childhood, older siblings typically hold a more powerful position in their relationship with their younger siblings, but these relationships are thought to become more egalitarian during adolescence as siblings begin to prepare for their relationships as adults and as younger siblings become more socially and cognitively competent. Little…

Romantic Relationship Experiences from Late Adolescence to Young Adulthood: The Role of Older Siblings in Mexican-Origin Families

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Lorey A.; Killoren, Sarah E.; Whiteman, Shawn D.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; McHale, Susan M.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.

2016-01-01

Youth's experiences with romantic relationships during adolescence and young adulthood have far reaching implications for future relationships, health, and well-being; yet, although scholars have examined potential peer and parent influences, we know little about the role of siblings in youth's romantic relationships. Accordingly, this study examined the prospective longitudinal links between Mexican-origin older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences and variation by sibling structural and relationship characteristics (i.e., sibling age and gender similarity, younger siblings' modeling) and cultural values (i.e., younger siblings' familism values). Data from 246 Mexican-origin families with older (M = 20.65 years; SD = 1.57; 50% female) and younger (M = 17.72 years; SD = .57; 51% female) siblings were used to examine the likelihood of younger siblings' involvement in dating relationships, sexual relations, cohabitation, and engagement/marriage with probit path analyses. Findings revealed older siblings' reports of involvement in a dating relationship, cohabitation, and engagement/marriage predicted younger siblings' relationship experiences over a two-year period. These links were moderated by sibling age spacing, younger siblings' reports of modeling and familism values. Our findings suggest the significance of social learning dynamics as well as relational and cultural contexts in understanding the links between older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences among Mexican-origin youth. PMID:26590830

Romantic Relationship Experiences from Late Adolescence to Young Adulthood: The Role of Older Siblings in Mexican-Origin Families.

PubMed

Wheeler, Lorey A; Killoren, Sarah E; Whiteman, Shawn D; Updegraff, Kimberly A; McHale, Susan M; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J

2016-05-01

Youth's experiences with romantic relationships during adolescence and young adulthood have far reaching implications for future relationships, health, and well-being; yet, although scholars have examined potential peer and parent influences, we know little about the role of siblings in youth's romantic relationships. Accordingly, this study examined the prospective longitudinal links between Mexican-origin older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences and variation by sibling structural and relationship characteristics (i.e., sibling age and gender similarity, younger siblings' modeling) and cultural values (i.e., younger siblings' familism values). Data from 246 Mexican-origin families with older (M = 20.65 years; SD = 1.57; 50 % female) and younger (M = 17.72 years; SD = .57; 51 % female) siblings were used to examine the likelihood of younger siblings' involvement in dating relationships, sexual relations, cohabitation, and engagement/marriage with probit path analyses. Findings revealed older siblings' reports of involvement in a dating relationship, cohabitation, and engagement/marriage predicted younger siblings' relationship experiences over a 2-year period. These links were moderated by sibling age spacing, younger siblings' reports of modeling and familism values. Our findings suggest the significance of social learning dynamics as well as relational and cultural contexts in understanding the links between older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences among Mexican-origin youth.

Relational Aggression in Sibling and Peer Relationships during Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostrov, Jamie M.; Crick, Nicki R.; Stauffacher, Kirstin

2006-01-01

The role of siblings ("N" = 50) in the display of physical and relational aggression among peers during early childhood was explored. Specifically, sibling pairs' rates of physical and relational aggression were assessed in their independent social contexts. Findings indicated low to moderate levels of intercorrelation between physical and…

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children is found to be related to the occurrence of ADHD in siblings and the male gender, but not to birth order, when compared to healthy controls.

PubMed

Keshavarzi, Zahra; Bajoghli, Hafez; Mohamadi, Mohammad Reza; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2014-10-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the extent to which the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood is associated with birth order and gender, and the prevalence of ADHD and mental retardation (MR) in siblings, as compared to healthy controls. Methods. Data from 200 children diagnosed with ADHD (mean age: 11.13 years; 10.5% females) were compared to data from 200 healthy controls (mean age: 11.0 years; 27.5% females). The data were related to symptoms of ADHD, birth order, gender, family size, and the occurrence of ADHD and MR in siblings. Compared to controls, the occurrence of ADHD was found to be related to the male gender and to the occurrence of ADHD-related symptoms in siblings (odds ratio: 13.50). Birth order and MR were not associated with the occurrence of ADHD and ADHD-related symptoms. ADHD- related symptoms increased if a further sibling also suffered from ADHD. Conclusions. Among a sample of Iranian children suffering from ADHD, the ADHD and ADHD-related symptoms in childhood were found to be related to the male gender and to the occurrence of ADHD in siblings. Moreover, birth order was found to be unrelated. The fact that symptoms of ADHD-related symptoms increased if a further sibling was suffering from ADHD, and decreased if a further sibling was suffering from MR, is intriguing and needs further explanation.

Military Trauma and Social Development: The Moderating and Mediating Roles of Peer and Sibling Relations in Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peltonen, Kirsi; Qouta, Samir; El Sarraj, Eyad; Punamaki, Raija-Leena

2010-01-01

We first examined how war-related traumatic events impact on peer and sibling relations, and how the quality of these relations in turn are associated with children's mental health, indicating a mediation model. Second, we tested the moderating (protective) effects of good peer and sibling relations in attenuating the link between trauma and…

The siblings relationship of adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Begum, Gazi; Blacher, Jan

2011-01-01

The sibling relationship of adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities was examined. Participants were 70 sibling dyads--each dyad was comprised of one 12-year old adolescent with (N=23) or without intellectual disabilities (N=47). Sibling relationships, behavior problems, and social skills were assessed using mother reports. Results revealed three findings. First, for typically developing adolescents, mothers reported more warmth in the sibling relationship for opposite sex dyads. For adolescents with intellectual disabilities, mothers reported more warmth in the sibling relationship for same-sex dyads. Second, for typically developing adolescents, mothers reported more status/power differences when the sibling was younger than when the sibling was older. For adolescents with intellectual disabilities, birth order did not affect status/power in the sibling relationship. Third, for typically developing adolescents, conflict was related to internalizing behavior problems. For adolescents with intellectual disabilities, conflict was related to externalizing behavior problems. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Family System and Depressive Symptoms during the College Years: Triangulation, Parental Differential Treatment, and Sibling Warmth as Predictors.

PubMed

Ponappa, Sujata; Bartle-Haring, Suzanne; Holowacz, Eugene; Ferriby, Megan

2017-01-01

Guided by Bowen theory, we investigated the relationships between parent-child triangulation, parental differential treatment (PDT), sibling warmth, and individual depressive symptoms in a sample of 77 sibling dyads, aged 18-25 years, recruited through undergraduate classes at a U.S. public University. Results of the actor-partner interdependence models suggested that being triangulated into parental conflict was positively related to both siblings' perception of PDT; however, as one sibling felt triangulated, the other perceived reduced levels of PDT. For both siblings, the perception of higher levels of PDT was related to decreased sibling warmth and higher sibling warmth was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The implications of these findings for research and the treatment of depression in the college-aged population are discussed. © 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Psycho-Social Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with Siblings on the Autistic Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stampoltzis, Aglaia; Defingou, Georgia; Antonopoulou, Katerina; Kouvava, Sofia; Polychronopoulou, Stavroula

2014-01-01

This study investigates the psycho-social characteristics of typically developing children who have siblings with autism and their sibling relationship. Children's adjustment at school, their self-esteem and social relations, as well as their friends' attitudes towards their autistic siblings were examined. Participants were 22 siblings of…

Sibling Relationships in Adults Who Have Siblings with or without Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doody, Mairead A.; Hastings, Richard P.; O'Neill, Sarah; Grey, Ian M.

2010-01-01

There is relatively little research on the relationships between adults with intellectual disability and their siblings, despite the potential importance of these relationships for either individual's psychological well-being and future care roles that might be adopted by adult siblings. In the present study, sibling relationships of adults with…

Sibling relationships in adults who have siblings with or without intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Doody, Mairéad A; Hastings, Richard P; O'Neill, Sarah; Grey, Ian M

2010-01-01

There is relatively little research on the relationships between adults with intellectual disability and their siblings, despite the potential importance of these relationships for either individual's psychological well-being and future care roles that might be adopted by adult siblings. In the present study, sibling relationships of adults with adult siblings with (N=63) and without (N=123) intellectual disability were explored. Contact, warmth, conflict, and rivalry were measured using questionnaires available as an on-line survey. Expressed emotion was measured using the Five Minute Speech Sample over the telephone to establish an independently coded measure of criticism from the participant towards their sibling. Overall, there were few group differences in contact and sibling relationship. There was less telephone contact in the intellectual disability group, and less reported warmth in the relationship with siblings with intellectual disability although this was mainly associated with severe/profound intellectual disability. Exploratory analyses were conducted of the correlates of sibling relationships in both the intellectual disability and control groups. These analyses revealed a small number of different associations especially for conflict, which was lower when either the participant or sibling was younger in the control group but associated with relative age in the intellectual disability group.

Factors associated with positive adjustment in siblings of children with severe emotional disturbance: the role of family resources and community life.

PubMed

Kilmer, Ryan P; Cook, James R; Munsell, Eylin Palamaro; Salvador, Samantha Kane

2010-10-01

This study builds on the scant research involving siblings of children with severe emotional disturbances (SED) and examines: associations between adversity experiences and adjustment among 5- to 10-year-old siblings, and relations among family resources, community life, and sibling adjustment. Caregivers from 100 families completed standardized indicators of sibling adjustment and scales reflecting multiple contextual variables. Results document negative associations between stress exposure and sibling adjustment. Regression models also indicate positive associations between the caregiver-child relationship and broader family resources on sibling behavioral and emotional strengths, even after accounting for adversity experiences; adversity exposure was the prime correlate in regression models involving sibling oppositional behavior. Analyses also suggest that strain related to parenting a child with SED is associated with sibling adjustment. This work documents the needs of these siblings and their family systems and highlights the relevance of not only core proximal influences (e.g., child-caregiver relationship) but also elements of their broader contexts. Implications and recommendations are described, including the need to support plans of care that involve services, supports, or preventive strategies for these siblings. © 2010 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Psychosocial functioning and risk factors among siblings of children with cancer: An updated systematic review.

PubMed

Long, Kristin A; Lehmann, Vicky; Gerhardt, Cynthia A; Carpenter, Aubrey L; Marsland, Anna L; Alderfer, Melissa A

2018-06-01

Siblings' psychosocial adjustment to childhood cancer is poorly understood. This systematic review summarizes findings and limitations of the sibling literature since 2008, provides clinical recommendations, and offers future research directions. MEDLINE/Pubmed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO were searched for articles related to siblings, psychosocial functioning, and pediatric cancer. After systematic screening, studies meeting inclusion criteria were rated for scientific merit, and findings were extracted and synthesized. In total, 102 studies were included (63 quantitative, 35 qualitative, 4 mixed-methods). Methodological limitations are common. Mean levels of anxiety, depression, and general adjustment are similar across siblings and comparisons, but symptoms of cancer-related posttraumatic stress are prevalent. School-aged siblings display poorer academic functioning and more absenteeism but similar peer relationships as peers. Quality of life findings are mixed. Adult siblings engage in higher levels of risky health behaviors and may have poorer health outcomes than comparisons. Risk factors for poor sibling adjustment include lower social support, poorer family functioning, lower income, non-White race, and shorter time since diagnosis, but findings are inconsistent. Qualitative themes include siblings' maturity, compassion, and autonomy, but also strong negative emotions, uncertainty, family disruptions, limited parental support, school problems, altered friendships, and unmet needs. Despite methodological limitations, research indicates a strong need for sibling support. Clinical recommendations include identifying at-risk siblings and developing interventions to facilitate family communication and increase siblings' social support, cancer-related knowledge, and treatment involvement. Future longitudinal studies focusing on mechanisms and moderators of siblings' adjustment would inform timing and targets of psychosocial care. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Friends and social contexts as unshared environments: a discordant sibling analysis of obesity- and health-related behaviors in young adolescents.

PubMed

Salvy, S-J; Feda, D M; Epstein, L H; Roemmich, J N

2017-04-01

This study examines the contribution of best friends' weight and the peer social context (time spent alone versus with friends) as sources of unshared environment associated with variability in weight and health behaviors among weight-discordant siblings. Pairs of same-sex biologic siblings (N=40 pairs; ages 13-17) were originally recruited as part of a study evaluating putative factors contributing to differences in adiposity among weight-discordant siblings. Siblings were asked to bring their best friends to the laboratory and siblings and friends' height and weight were objectively measured. Siblings also completed multi-pass dietary recalls to assess energy intake and sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Siblings' physical activity was measured using accelerometry. Experience sampling methodology was used to assess sedentary behaviors/screen time and the number of occasions siblings spent alone and in the presence of friends. Multilevel models were used to estimate the relationships between predictors (best friends' zBMI, time spent alone or with friends) and outcomes (siblings' zBMI and obesity-related health behaviors). Best friends' zBMI was the best predictor of participants' zBMI, even when controlling for child's birth weight. Best friends' weight (zBMI) further predicted participants' SSB intake and time engaged in sedentary behaviors. Being active with friends was positively associated with participants' overall physical activity, whereas spending time alone was negatively associated with accelerometer counts regardless of siblings' adiposity. A friends' weight and the social context are unshared environmental factors associated with variability in adiposity among biologically-related weight-discordant siblings.

Evidence for inbreeding depression and pre-copulatory, but not post copulatory inbreeding avoidance in the cabbage beetle Colaphellus bowringi.

PubMed

Liu, XingPing; Tu, XiaoYun; He, HaiMin; Chen, Chao; Xue, FangSen

2014-01-01

Inbreeding is known to have adverse effects on fitness-related traits in a range of insect species. A series of theoretical and experimental studies have suggested that polyandrous insects could avoid the cost of inbreeding via pre-copulatory mate choice and/or post-copulatory mechanisms. We looked for evidence of pre-copulatory inbreeding avoidance using female mate preference trials, in which females were given the choice of mating with either of two males, a sibling and a non-sibling. We also tested for evidence of post-copulatory inbreeding avoidance by conducting double mating experiments, in which four sibling females were mated with two males sequentially, either two siblings, two non-siblings or a sibling and a non-sibling in either order. We identified substantial inbreeding depression: offspring of females mated to full siblings had lower hatching success, slower development time from egg to adult, lower survival of larval and pupal stages, and lower adult body mass than the offspring of females mated to non-sibling males. We also found evidence of pre-copulatory inbreeding avoidance, as females preferred to mate with non-sibling males. However, we did not find any evidence of post-copulatory inbreeding avoidance: egg hatching success of females mating to both sibling and non-sibling males were consistent with sperm being used without bias in relation to mate relatedness. Our results suggest that this cabbage beetle has evolved a pre-copulatory mechanism to avoid matings between close relative, but that polyandry is apparently not an inbreeding avoidance mechanism in C. bowringi.

Evidence for Inbreeding Depression and Pre-Copulatory, but Not Post Copulatory Inbreeding Avoidance in the Cabbage Beetle Colaphellus bowringi

PubMed Central

Liu, XingPing; Tu, XiaoYun; He, HaiMin; Chen, Chao; Xue, FangSen

2014-01-01

Inbreeding is known to have adverse effects on fitness-related traits in a range of insect species. A series of theoretical and experimental studies have suggested that polyandrous insects could avoid the cost of inbreeding via pre-copulatory mate choice and/or post-copulatory mechanisms. We looked for evidence of pre-copulatory inbreeding avoidance using female mate preference trials, in which females were given the choice of mating with either of two males, a sibling and a non-sibling. We also tested for evidence of post-copulatory inbreeding avoidance by conducting double mating experiments, in which four sibling females were mated with two males sequentially, either two siblings, two non-siblings or a sibling and a non-sibling in either order. We identified substantial inbreeding depression: offspring of females mated to full siblings had lower hatching success, slower development time from egg to adult, lower survival of larval and pupal stages, and lower adult body mass than the offspring of females mated to non-sibling males. We also found evidence of pre-copulatory inbreeding avoidance, as females preferred to mate with non-sibling males. However, we did not find any evidence of post-copulatory inbreeding avoidance: egg hatching success of females mating to both sibling and non-sibling males were consistent with sperm being used without bias in relation to mate relatedness. Our results suggest that this cabbage beetle has evolved a pre-copulatory mechanism to avoid matings between close relative, but that polyandry is apparently not an inbreeding avoidance mechanism in C. bowringi. PMID:24718627

Economic expenditures associated with instrumental caregiving roles of adult siblings of persons with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Lohrer, Steven P; Lukens, Ellen P; Thorning, Helle

2007-04-01

Siblings of persons with mental illness who assume primary caregiving roles experience substantial and tangible economic impacts associated with this responsibility. This study investigated mailed survey responses collected from 156 adult siblings of persons with mental illness from New York State to examine instrumental costs associated with providing support to siblings with illness. Genders of both siblings, severity of the relatives' mental illness, and number of surviving parents in the family distinguished those occupying primary caregiving responsibility from those not in primary roles. Current caregivers incurred greater instrumental costs in the form of financial expenses, time spent in care activities, and crisis involvement than did those who were not primary care providers. Additional demographic and behavioral factors related to siblings with and without illness were associated with specific dimensions of instrumental expenditure. As siblings become increasingly engaged in caregiving, social service professionals must assume leadership in promoting programs and policies that meaningfully support family involvement for relatives with mental illness.

The Role of Perceived Maternal Favoritism in Sibling Relations in Midlife.

PubMed

Suitor, J Jill; Sechrist, Jori; Plikuhn, Mari; Pardo, Seth T; Gilligan, Megan; Pillemer, Karl

2009-01-01

Data were collected from 708 adult children nested within 274 later-life families from the Within-Family Differences Study to explore the role of perceived maternal favoritism in the quality of sibling relations in midlife. Mixed-model analyses revealed that regardless of which sibling was favored, perceptions of current favoritism and recollections of favoritism in childhood reduced closeness among siblings. Recollections of maternal favoritism in childhood were more important than perceptions of current favoritism in predicting tension among adult siblings, regardless of age. Taken together, the findings from this investigation are consistent with childhood studies showing that siblings have better relationships when they believe that they are treated equitably by their parents.

Siblings and Theory of Mind in Deaf Native Signing Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolfe, Tyron; Want, Stephen C.; Siegal, Michael

2003-01-01

A study examined the basis of "theory of mind" (ToM) reasoning in 20 native signers (ages 4-8) of British Sign Language. Children and their siblings were given a measure of the quality of sibling relations. Sibling quality as perceived by siblings predicted children's ToM score over age and referential communication. (Contains…

Temperament and character as schizophrenia-related endophenotypes in non-psychotic siblings.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew J; Cloninger, C Robert; Harms, Michael P; Csernansky, John G

2008-09-01

Quantitative endophenotypes are needed to better understand the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The psychobiological model of temperament and character suggests that personality traits are heritable and regulated by brain systems influencing schizophrenia susceptibility. Thus, measures of temperament and character may serve as schizophrenia-related endophenotypes in individuals with schizophrenia and their non-psychotic siblings. Individuals with schizophrenia (n=35), their non-psychotic siblings (n=34), controls (n=63), and their siblings (n=56) participated in a study of the clinical, neurocognitive and neuromorphological characteristics of schizophrenia. A mixed-model approach assessed group differences on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Neurocognitive deficits and psychopathology were correlated with the TCI. Configurations of TCI domains were examined using a generalized linear model. Individuals with schizophrenia and their non-psychotic siblings had higher harm avoidance than controls and their siblings. Individuals with schizophrenia had lower self-directedness and cooperativeness, and higher self-transcendence than their non-psychotic siblings, controls, and the siblings of controls. Neurocognition was not related to temperament and character in individuals with schizophrenia or either control group. In non-psychotic siblings, self-directedness and cooperativeness were correlated with working memory and crystallized IQ. Evidence supports harm avoidance as a schizophrenia-related endophenotype. An increased risk of schizophrenia may be associated with asociality (configured as high harm avoidance and low reward dependence), schizotypy (configured as low self-directedness, low cooperativeness, and high self-transcendence), and neurocognitive deficits (poor executive functioning, working/episodic memory, attention, and low IQ). The non-psychotic siblings demonstrated features of a mature character profile including strong crystallized IQ, which may confer protection against psychopathology.

Sibling Configuration Predicts Individual and Descendant Socioeconomic Success in a Modern Post-Industrial Society

PubMed Central

Lawson, David W.; Makoli, Arijeta; Goodman, Anna

2013-01-01

Growing up with many siblings, at least in the context of modern post-industrial low fertility, low mortality societies, is predictive of relatively poor performance on school tests in childhood, lower levels of educational attainment, and lower income throughout adulthood. Recent studies further indicate these relationships hold across generations, so that the descendants of those who grow up with many siblings are also at an apparent socioeconomic disadvantage. In this paper we add to this literature by considering whether such relationships interact with the sex and relative age of siblings. To do this we utilise a unique Swedish multigenerational birth cohort study that provides sibling configuration data on over 10,000 individuals born in 1915–1929, plus all their direct genetic descendants to the present day. Adjusting for parental and birth characteristics, we find that the ‘socioeconomic cost’ of growing up in a large family is independent of both the sex of siblings and the sex of the individual. However, growing up with several older as opposed to several younger siblings is predictive of relatively poor performance on school tests and a lower likelihood of progression to tertiary education. This later-born disadvantage also holds across generations, with the children of those with many older siblings achieving lower levels of educational attainment. Despite these differences, we find that while individual and descendant income is negatively related to the number of siblings, it is not influenced by the relative age of siblings. Thus, our findings imply that the educational disadvantage of later-born children, demonstrated here and in numerous other studies, does not necessarily translate into reduced earnings in adulthood. We discuss potential explanations for this pattern of results, and consider some important directions for future research into sibling configuration and wellbeing in modern societies. PMID:24040031

Perceived sibling relationships of sexual minority youth.

PubMed

Toomey, Russell B; Richardson, Rhonda A

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of sexual minority youth and their siblings. The participants were 56 lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals ranging in age from 18 to 24 years, who reported information about a total of 107 siblings. Respondents completed a demographic data questionnaire as well as adapted versions of the Sibling Closeness Scale (SCS) and the Sibling Approval of Sexual Behavior Scale (SASBS) to describe their relationship with each of their siblings. Analyses examined birth order and gender in relation to outness to siblings as well as sibling closeness and approval. Results provide information about disclosure of LGBT status to siblings, elements of closeness and acceptance in sibling relationships of sexual minority youth, and the significance of gender and birth order in these sibling relationships.

Don't forget the siblings: School-aged siblings of children presenting to mental health services show at-risk patterns of attachment.

PubMed

Kozlowska, Kasia; Elliott, Bronwen

2017-04-01

Family therapists understand that children presenting for treatment are often bearers of symptoms signalling relational problems within the family system. Rather than addressing the children's symptoms in isolation, family therapists typically take those relational problems as their starting point in therapy. This study used the School-aged Assessment of Attachment (SAA) to assess the self-protective (attachment) strategies of the siblings of children presenting for psychiatric evaluation and also of the siblings of control children drawn from the normative population. Siblings of children in the clinical group were much more likely than siblings of control children to use at-risk self-protective strategies and to have markers suggestive of unresolved loss or trauma. School-aged siblings were found to use a broad range of strategies, and the pattern of change from first born to later born involved either a reversal of strategy or a shift to a more complex strategy. The study highlights that siblings of children presenting to mental health services are significantly affected by family relational stress. A family systems approach to assessment, one that enquires about the wellbeing of all family members, will ensure that the emotional needs of siblings are also addressed during the therapy process.

Relational Influences on Career Paths: Siblings in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultheiss, Donna E. Palladino; Palma, Thomas V.; Predragovich, Krista S.; Glasscock, Julie M. Jeffrey

2002-01-01

This investigation examined participants' perceptions of sibling relational influence on career exploration and decision making. Career path influence on sibling relationships and times when these relationships were most important also were explored. Individual interviews were conducted with urban commuter college students, and narrative data were…

Enhanced ERPs to visual stimuli in unaffected male siblings of ASD children.

PubMed

Anzures, Gizelle; Goyet, Louise; Ganea, Natasa; Johnson, Mark H

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by deficits in social and communication abilities. While unaffected relatives lack severe deficits, milder impairments have been reported in some first-degree relatives. The present study sought to verify whether mild deficits in face perception are evident among the unaffected younger siblings of children with ASD. Children between 6-9 years of age completed a face-recognition task and a passive viewing ERP task with face and house stimuli. Sixteen children were typically developing with no family history of ASD, and 17 were unaffected children with an older sibling with ASD. Findings indicate that, while unaffected siblings are comparable to controls in their face-recognition abilities, unaffected male siblings in particular show relatively enhanced P100 and P100-N170 peak-to-peak amplitude responses to faces and houses. Enhanced ERPs among unaffected male siblings is discussed in relation to potential differences in neural network recruitment during visual and face processing.

Effects of Sibling Structure and Interaction on Children's Categorization Style

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicirelli, Victor G.

1973-01-01

One hundred sixty sibling pairs from two child families were sampled for sibling interaction behaviors as they relate to measures of categorization style. The study provides additional evidence of the importance of a child's siblings to his cognitive development. (Editor/RK)

Psychological Adjustment and Sibling Relationships in Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Environmental Stressors and the Broad Autism Phenotype

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petalas, Michael A.; Hastings, Richard P.; Nash, Susie; Hall, Louise M.; Joannidi, Helen; Dowey, Alan

2012-01-01

Research with siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) suggests that they may be at increased risk for behavioural and emotional problems and relatively poor sibling relationships. This study investigated a diathesis-stress model, whereby the presence of Broad Autism Phenotype features in the typically developing siblings might…

Family Perspectives on Siblings' Conflict Goals in Middle Childhood: Links to Hierarchical and Affective Features of Sibling Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Recchia, Holly E.; Witwit, Ma-ab

2017-01-01

This study examined parents' and children's descriptions of older and younger siblings' conflict goals in the late preschool and middle childhood years, and how these attributions were related to sibling relationship quality. Parents and 4- to 10-year-old children from 62 families were interviewed separately about siblings' motivations in two…

Belgian siblings of children with a chronic illness: Is their quality of life different from their peers?

PubMed

Havermans, Trudy; Croock, Ilse De; Vercruysse, Trui; Goethals, Eveline; Diest, Ilse Van

2015-06-01

To assess Belgian siblings' self-reported quality of life (QoL) and the impact of illness on four different paediatric illnesses. Healthy siblings (n = 131) of children with type 1 diabetes, cancer, congenital heart disease (CHD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) completed the Child Health Questionnaire and the Sibling Perception Questionnaire. Results were compared to those of a matched group of siblings of healthy children. Siblings reported a good QoL, similar to controls, with the exception that siblings reported better on the QoL domain pain (p < .01). QoL was not related to time since diagnosis but the impact of illness was higher nearer to the time of diagnosis (r = -.39, p < .001). QoL of siblings of children with CHD or cancer was lower than QoL in the CF or type 1 diabetes group whilst impact of illness was highest for the CHD group. QoL of siblings of a child with a chronic illness is similar to the QoL of peers. Studies investigating siblings' QoL or the impact of illness on siblings should include the day-to-day demands of the illness as well as less obvious illness-related issues like 'hidden stress' and 'sense of control'. © The Author(s) 2013.

Evaluation of a multi-site program designed to strengthen relational bonds for siblings separated by foster care.

PubMed

Waid, Jeffrey; Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson

2017-10-01

Sibling relationships in foster care settings have received increased attention in recent years. Despite growing evidence regarding the protective potential of sibling relationships for youth in care, some sibling groups continue to experience foster care related separation, and few programs exist to address the needs of these youth. This study describes and evaluates Camp To Belong, a multi-site program designed to provide short-term reunification to separated sibling groups through a week-long summer camp experience. Using a pre-test post-test survey design, this paper examines changes in youth ratings of sibling conflict and sibling support across camps located in six geographically distinct regions of the United States. The effects of youth age, number of prior camp exposures, and camp location were tested using multilevel modeling procedures. Findings suggest that participation in Camp To Belong may reduce sibling conflict, and improvements in sibling support are noted for youth who have had prior exposure to the camp's programming. Camp-level variance in the sibling support outcome highlight the complex nature of relationships for siblings separated by foster care, and suggest the need for additional research. Lessons learned from this multi-site evaluation and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of First-Episode Psychosis on the Sibling Relationship.

PubMed

Bowman, Siann; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario; Howie, Linsey; McGorry, Patrick; Wade, Darryl

2015-01-01

Research and clinical practice in first-episode psychosis (FEP) has predominantly focused on parents and partners and has neglected siblings needs. This study aims to characterize the sibling relationship in FEP and to examine the illness-related variables that influence this relationship. Survey methodology explored the experience of 157 siblings during the first 18 months of their brother or sister's treatment. The Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire was used to measure the warmth, conflict, and rivalry within the relationship. A series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between illness characteristics and sibling relationship. When the young person experiencing FEP had a period of untreated psychosis longer than six months, required more than one hospital admission, had persisting psychotic symptoms, continued to use substances, and/or had a history of physical violence, warmth within the sibling relationship deteriorated. Regression analysis revealed that a history of violence was a significant predictor of the warmth, conflict, and rivalry within the sibling relationship. Suicide attempts were a significant predictor of conflict. This study has established associations between the sibling relationship and illness-related variables. This study promotes consideration of the importance of including siblings in early intervention. Given the powerful role this relationship can have as a protective factor, this study could inform future interventions involving siblings.

Spirituality and religious coping are related to cancer-bereaved siblings' long-term grief.

PubMed

Lövgren, Malin; Sveen, Josefin; Steineck, Gunnar; Wallin, Alexandra Eilegård; Eilertsen, Mary-Elizabeth B; Kreicbergs, Ulrika

2017-12-20

Many bereaved siblings have still not come to terms with their grief many years after the loss, but few studies have focused on what can help. The aims of this study were to identify cancer-bereaved adolescents' and young adults' ways of coping with grief after loss of a sibling, and examine whether these ways of coping were related to their experience of having worked through their grief. This nationwide survey of 174 cancer-bereaved siblings (73% participation rate) is based on one open-ended question about coping with grief ("What has helped you to cope with your grief after your sibling's death?") and one closed-ended question about siblings' long-term grief ("Do you think you have worked through your grief over your sibling's death?"). The open-ended question was analyzed with content analysis; descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were used to examine the relation between type of coping and siblings' long-term grief. Result The siblings described four ways of coping: (1) thinking of their dead brother/sister and feeling and expressing their grief; (2) distracting or occupying themselves; (3) engaging in spiritual and religious beliefs/activities; and (4) waiting for time to pass. One of these categories of coping with grief, namely, engaging in spiritual and religious beliefs and activities, was associated with siblings' experience of having worked through their grief two to nine years after the loss (p = 0.016). Significance of results Those siblings who had used spirituality, religious beliefs, and activities to cope were more likely to have worked through their grief than those who had not.

Performance analysis of deciduous morphology for detecting biological siblings.

PubMed

Paul, Kathleen S; Stojanowski, Christopher M

2015-08-01

Family-centered burial practices influence cemetery structure and can represent social group composition in both modern and ancient contexts. In ancient sites dental phenotypic data are often used as proxies for underlying genotypes to identify potential biological relatives. Here, we test the performance of deciduous dental morphological traits for differentiating sibling pairs from unrelated individuals from the same population. We collected 46 deciduous morphological traits for 69 sibling pairs from the Burlington Growth Centre's long term Family Study. Deciduous crown features were recorded following published standards. After variable winnowing, inter-individual Euclidean distances were generated using 20 morphological traits. To determine whether sibling pairs are more phenotypically similar than expected by chance we used bootstrap resampling of distances to generate P values. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) plots were used to evaluate the degree of clustering among sibling pairs. Results indicate an average distance between siblings of 0.252, which is significantly less than 9,999 replicated averages of 69 resampled pseudo-distances generated from: 1) a sample of non-relative pairs (P < 0.001), and 2) a sample of relative and non-relative pairs (P < 0.001). MDS plots indicate moderate to strong clustering among siblings; families occupied 3.83% of the multidimensional space on average (versus 63.10% for the total sample). Deciduous crown morphology performed well in identifying related sibling pairs. However, there was considerable variation in the extent to which different families exhibited similarly low levels of phenotypic divergence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Temperament and Character as Schizophrenia-Related Endophenotypes in Non-psychotic Siblings

PubMed Central

Smith, Matthew J.; Cloninger, C. Robert; Harms, Michael P.; Csernansky, John G.

2008-01-01

Background Quantitative endophenotypes are needed to better understand the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The psychobiological model of temperament and character suggests that personality traits are heritable and regulated by brain systems influencing schizophrenia susceptibility. Thus, measures of temperament and character may serve as schizophrenia-related endophenotypes in individuals with schizophrenia and their non-psychotic siblings. Methods Individuals with schizophrenia (n=35), their non-psychotic siblings (n=34), controls (n=63), and their siblings (n=56) participated in a study of the clinical, cognitive and neuromorphological characteristics of schizophrenia. A mixed-model approach assessed group differences on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Neurocognitive deficits and psychopathology were correlated with the TCI. Configurations of TCI domains were examined using a generalized linear model. Results Individuals with schizophrenia and their siblings had higher harm avoidance than controls and their siblings. Individuals with schizophrenia had lower self-directedness and cooperativeness, and higher self-transcendence than their non-psychotic siblings, controls, and the siblings of controls. Neurocognition was not related to temperament and character in individuals with schizophrenia or either control group. In non-psychotic siblings, self-directedness and cooperativeness were correlated with working memory and crystallized IQ. Conclusion Evidence supports harm avoidance as a schizophrenia-related endophenotype. An increased risk of schizophrenia may be associated with asociality (configured as high harm avoidance and low reward dependence), schizotypy (configured as low self-directedness, low cooperativeness, and high self-transcendence), and neurocognitive deficits (poor executive functioning, working/episodic memory, attention, and low IQ). The non-psychotic siblings demonstrated features of a mature character profile including strong crystallized IQ, which may confer protection against psychopathology. PMID:18718739

GROWING UP WITHOUT SIBLINGS AND ADULT SOCIABILITY BEHAVIORS

PubMed Central

Trent, Katherine; Spitze, Glenna D.

2011-01-01

We use data from the National Survey of Families and Households to examine a range of sociability behaviors for adults who grew up with and without siblings. Compared to adults who grew up with siblings, adults who grew up without siblings have less frequent social activities with relatives, and the difference is greater among those who did not live with both parents growing up. Differences in engaging in certain social events between adults who grew up without and with siblings vary by age. Differences in participation in sports, youth, or school related group activities for those who grew up without and with siblings vary by gender. Thus, there are some differences in adult sociability behaviors between those who grew up with and without siblings; however, our pattern of findings suggests that these differences are not large or pervasive across a range of sociability behaviors and may grow smaller with age. PMID:22180694

Feelings of attachment to siblings and well-being in later life.

PubMed

Cicirelli, V G

1989-06-01

On the basis of an adult model of sibling attachment, I hypothesized that the well-being of older persons depends on their perception of the closeness of the sibling bond, on their perception of any disruption of that bond, and on the sex combination of the siblings being considered. In all, 83 persons, aged 61 to 91 years, were interviewed about their relationships with each of their living siblings. They rated their feelings of closeness, conflict or rivalry, and indifference to the sibling. A measure of depression was used as the indicator of well-being. Separate correlational analyses were carried out for the four sex combinations of siblings. Closeness of the bond to a sister (by both men and women) was related to less depression. Also, women's perceptions of conflict and indifference in their relationships with sisters were related to increased depression. Findings are interpreted in terms of attachment theory and sex role expectations.

Food reinforcement and delay discounting in zBMI-discordant siblings

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The interaction of food reinforcement and the inability to delay gratification are related to adult energy intake and obesity. This study was designed to test the association of sibling pair differences in relative reinforcing efficacy of food and delay discounting on sibling pair differences in zBM...

Applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior in Predicting Supportive Behaviors by Parents and Adult Siblings of Immediate Relatives with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rimmerman, Arie; Chen, Ariel

2012-01-01

This research examines the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior in predicting supportive behaviors by parents and adult siblings of immediate relatives with intellectual disability. Participants were 67 parents and 63 siblings whose immediate relatives with intellectual disability resided in two institutional care facilities. Three…

The Combination of Sibling Victimization and Parental Child Maltreatment on Mental Health Problems and Delinquency.

PubMed

van Berkel, Sheila R; Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Finkelhor, David

2018-01-01

This study examined how the combination of sibling victimization and parental child maltreatment is related to mental health problems and delinquency in childhood and adolescence. Co-occurrence, additive associations, and interactive associations of sibling victimization and parental child maltreatment were investigated using a sample of 2,053 children aged 5-17 years from the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence. The results provide primarily evidence for additive associations and only suggest some co-occurrence and interactive associations of sibling victimization and child maltreatment. Evidence for co-occurrence was weak and, when controlling for the other type of maltreatment, only found for neglect. Sibling victimization was related to more mental health problems and delinquency over and above the effect of child abuse and neglect. Moderation by sibling victimization depended on child age and was only found for the relation between both types of child maltreatment by parents and delinquency. For mental health, no interactive associations were found. These results highlight the unique and combined associations between sibling victimization on child development.

Further Evidence That Cannabis Moderates Familial Correlation of Psychosis-Related Experiences

PubMed Central

van Winkel, Ruud

2015-01-01

Background Familial correlations underlie heritability estimates of psychosis. If gene-environment interactions are important, familial correlation will vary as a function of environmental exposure. Methods Associations between sibling and parental schizotypy (n = 669 pairs, n = 1222 observations), and between sibling schizotypy and patient CAPE psychosis (n = 978 pairs, n = 1723 observations) were examined as a function of sibling cannabis use. This design is based on the prediction that in unaffected siblings who are not exposed, vulnerability for psychosis will remain latent, whereas in case of exposure, latent psychosis vulnerability may become expressed, at the level of schizotypal symptoms, causing the phenotypic correlation between relatives to become “visible” under the influence of cannabis. Results Siblings exposed to recent cannabis use resembled their patient-relative more closely in terms of positive schizotypy (urinalysis(+):B = 0.30, P<.001; urinalysis(-):B = 0.10, p<0.001; p-interaction = 0.0135). Similarly, the familial correlation in positive schizotypy between parent and sibling was significantly greater in siblings recently exposed to cannabis (urinalysis(+):B = 0.78, P<.001; urinalysis(-):B = 0.43, p<0.001; p interaction = 0.0017). Results were comparable when using lifetime cannabis frequency of use as exposure instead of recent use. Parental schizotypy did not predict cannabis use in the healthy sibling, nor in the patient. Similarly, parental cannabis use was not associated with level of schizotypy in the sibling, nor with psychotic symptoms in the patient, making gene-environment correlation unlikely. Conclusion Familial correlation of psychosis-related experiences varies considerably as a function of exposure to cannabis, confirming the importance of gene-cannabis interaction in shifts of expression of psychosis-related experiences. PMID:26384217

Hemophilic siblings with chronic hepatitis C: Familial aggregation of spontaneous and treatment-related viral clearance.

PubMed

Fried, Michael W; Kroner, Barbara L; Preiss, Liliana R; Wilhelmsen, Kirk; Goedert, James J

2006-09-01

Hemophilic siblings provide a unique population to explore the natural history of chronic hepatitis C. From 3993 hemophilic patients with hepatitis C, 257 sibling pairs, of which both members had evidence of hepatitis C infection, were studied to evaluate the genetic contribution to spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of hepatitis C infection and progression of liver disease. Familial aggregation was assessed by comparing observed probabilities of concordance for these disease characteristics within sibling pairs to those expected for randomly paired hemophilic subjects. Additional measures of familial aggregation, heritability, and sibling relative risk were also calculated. Among human immunodeficiency virus-negative subjects, concordance for spontaneous viral clearance was 2-fold higher in siblings compared with randomly paired subjects (8.8% vs 4.3%, respectively, P = .04). Similarly, the concordance rate for treatment-related viral clearance was over twice that among sibling pairs than among randomly paired hemophiliacs (31.3% vs 13.3%, respectively, P = ns). Heritability estimates for spontaneous and treatment-induced viral clearance were 0.24 +/- 0.14 (P = .04) and 0.43 +/- 0.42 (P = .10), respectively. The sibling relative risks for these respective characteristics were 1.6 and 1.7. Concordance for advanced liver disease was higher among siblings but did not reach statistical significance (4.0% vs 2.3%, respectively, P = ns). The heritability estimate was 0.29 +/- 0.13 (P = .02). Concordance rates and heritability estimates for spontaneous and treatment-related viral clearance indicate that genetic factors have a modest influence on the outcome of hepatitis C, although shared environmental factors cannot be excluded. Investigations to map candidate disease-susceptibility genes associated with these characteristics must be approached with caution.

The role of siblings in identity development in adolescence and emerging adulthood.

PubMed

Wong, Thessa M L; Branje, Susan J T; VanderValk, Inge E; Hawk, Skyler T; Meeus, Wim H J

2010-10-01

This study examined the role of siblings on identity formation in adolescence and emerging adulthood, using a three-wave longitudinal design. Measures of identity formation were filled out by 498 sibling dyads. Sibling effects differed as a function of age and gender configuration within the dyads. Controlled for age, earlier-born siblings reported the most advanced levels of identity formation, and later-born siblings the lowest. Positive relations between siblings' identity and changes in identity of respondents provided support for modeling processes between siblings. The identity of earlier-born same-sex siblings, in particular, tends to be important in influencing identity formation. Contrary to the expectations, differentiation processes between siblings did not appear to influence identity formation. It is apparent from this study that both the gender and birth order of siblings affect whether their own identity formation processes influence those of adolescents and emerging adults.

Mechanisms of sibling socialization in normative family development.

PubMed

Whiteman, Shawn D; Becerra, Julia M; Killoren, Sarah E

2009-01-01

Siblings are important sources of social influence throughout childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, the processes by which siblings influence one another remain relatively unexplored. We highlight two theories of sibling influence-sibling deidentification and social learning-that offer insights as to how and why siblings develop similar and different attributes, attitudes, and behaviors. Recognizing the need to move past post hoc explanations, we suggest several directions for how these two influence processes can be measured directly in future work. Research on sibling influence also can be improved by integrating these theories and attending to their domains of influence.

Reciprocal and Complementary Sibling Interactions: Relations with Socialization Outcomes in the Kindergarten Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrist, Amanda W.; Achacoso, Joseph A.; John, Aesha; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2014-01-01

Research Findings: In this examination of associations between sibling interaction patterns and later social outcomes in single- and 2-parent families, 113 kindergarteners took part in naturalistic observations at home with siblings, classmates participated in sociometric interviews, and teachers completed behavior ratings. Sibling interactions…

Siblings of the Handicapped: A Literature Review for School Psychologists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannah, Mary Elizabeth; Midlarsky, Elizabeth

1985-01-01

Siblings of handicapped children may have adjustment problems associated with increased family responsibilities, increased parental expectations, and perceived parental neglect in favor of the disabled sibling. Problems may be related to socioeconomic status; family size; age, sex, and birth order of the sibling; and severity of the handicap. (GDC)

Siblings within Families: Levels of Analysis and Patterns of Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Jennifer; Dunn, Judy

2009-01-01

The study of siblings has become increasingly central to developmental science. Sibling relationships have unique effects on development, and sibling designs allow researchers to isolate causal mechanisms in development. This volume emphasizes causal mechanisms in the social domain. We review the preceding chapters in relation to six topics: a…

Siblings versus Parents and Friends: Longitudinal Linkages to Adolescent Externalizing Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defoe, Ivy N.; Keijsers, Loes; Hawk, Skyler T.; Branje, Susan; Dubas, Judith Semon; Buist, Kirsten; Frijns, Tom; van Aken, Marcel A. G.; Koot, Hans M.; van Lier, Pol A. C.; Meeus, Wim

2013-01-01

Background: It is well documented that friends' externalizing problems and negative parent-child interactions predict externalizing problems in adolescence, but relatively little is known about the role of siblings. This four-wave, multi-informant study investigated linkages of siblings' externalizing problems and sibling-adolescent negative…

Neuropsychological functioning of siblings of children with autism, siblings of children with developmental language delay, and siblings of children with mental retardation of unknown genetic etiology.

PubMed

Pilowsky, Tammy; Yirmiya, Nurit; Gross-Tsur, Varda; Shalev, Ruth S

2007-03-01

Neuropsychological functioning of 30 siblings of children with autism (AU-S), 28 siblings of children with mental retardation of (MR-S), and 30 siblings of children with developmental language delay (DLD-S) was compared. Two siblings, both AU-S, received diagnoses of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). More siblings with cognitive disabilities were found in DLD-S than in AU-S. However, these differences disappeared after excluding diagnosed siblings or after accounting for family membership. In sum, despite the elevated incidence of PDD among AU-S, the neuropsychological functioning of the remaining siblings did not convey specific characteristics related to the genetic risk associated with autism, in contrast to the cognitive functioning of the DLD-S, which did reflect a genetic risk.

Adolescent Siblings of Individuals With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Self-Reported Empathy and Feelings About Their Brothers and Sisters.

PubMed

Shivers, Carolyn M; Dykens, Elisabeth M

2017-01-01

Siblings of brothers or sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are important but understudied family members. As many previous studies have relied on parent report of sibling outcomes, the use of sibling self-report is an important addition to the research. This study assessed the feelings of adolescent siblings toward their brothers or sisters with and without IDD, as well as broader aspects of sibling empathy. Data were collected via a national, online survey from 97 parent-sibling pairs. Siblings of individuals with IDD reported higher levels of anxiety toward the target child than did siblings of typically developing individuals. Sibling feelings toward the target child were related to both parental and target child factors, but only among families of individuals with IDD.

Brain bioenergetics and redox state measured by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in unaffected siblings of patients with psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Chouinard, Virginie-Anne; Kim, Sang-Young; Valeri, Linda; Yuksel, Cagri; Ryan, Kyle P; Chouinard, Guy; Cohen, Bruce M; Du, Fei; Öngür, Dost

2017-09-01

Brain bioenergetic anomalies and redox dysregulation have been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders. The present study examined brain energy-related metabolites and the balance between nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide metabolites (oxidized NAD+ and reduced NADH) using 31 P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 31 P-MRS) in unaffected siblings, compared to first episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls. 21 unaffected siblings, 32 FEP patients (including schizophrenia spectrum and affective psychoses), and 21 controls underwent 31 P-MRS in the frontal lobe (6×6×4cm 3 ) on a 4T MR scanner, using custom-designed dual-tuned surface coil with outer volume suppression. Brain parenchymal pH and steady-state metabolite ratios of high energy phosphate compounds were measured. NAD+ and NADH levels were determined using a 31 P-MRS fitting algorithm. 13 unaffected sibling-patient pairs were related; other patients and siblings were unrelated. ANCOVA analyses were used to examine 31 P-MRS measures, with age and gender as covariates. The phosphocreatine/adenosine triphosphate ratio was significantly reduced in both unaffected siblings and FEP patients, compared to controls. NAD+/NADH ratio was significantly reduced in patients compared to siblings and controls, with siblings showing a reduction in NAD+/NADH compared to controls that was not statistically significant. Compared to patients and controls, siblings showed significantly reduced levels of NAD+. Siblings did not differ from patients or controls on brain pH. Our results indicate that unaffected siblings show some, but not all the same abnormalities in brain energy metabolites and redox state as FEP patients. Thus, 31 P-MRS studies may identify factors related both to risk and expression of psychosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Socialization, Social Cognitive Factors and the Sibling Relationship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Nina

Two separate studies suggest that the development of positive sibling relations may be related to siblings' social-cognitive skills (Stewart & Marvin, 1984) and the nature of mothers' conversations with their children (Dunn & Kendrick, 1982). The purpose of the present study was to provide a synthesis of these two studies and to demonstrate the…

Familial Correlates of Overt and Relational Aggression between Young Adolescent Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Jeong Jin; Gamble, Wendy C.

2008-01-01

Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling were used to test correlates of overt and relational aggression between young adolescent siblings across four groups (i.e., male/male, male/female, female/male, and female/female sibling pairs), using 433 predominately European American families. Similar patterns…

The Role of Perceived Maternal Favoritism in Sibling Relations in Midlife

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suitor, J. Jill; Sechrist, Jori; Plikuhn, Mari; Pardo, Seth T.; Gilligan, Megan; Pillemer, Karl

2009-01-01

Data were collected from 708 adult children nested within 274 later-life families from the Within-Family Differences Study to explore the role of perceived maternal favoritism in the quality of sibling relations in midlife. Mixed-model analyses revealed that regardless of which sibling was favored, perceptions of current favoritism and…

Self-regulation as a mediator between sibling relationship quality and early adolescents' positive and negative outcomes.

PubMed

Padilla-Walker, Laura M; Harper, James M; Jensen, Alexander C

2010-08-01

The current study examined the role of adolescents' self-regulation as a mediator between sibling relationship quality and adolescent outcomes, after controlling for the quality of the parent-child relationship. Participants were 395 families (282 two parent; 113 single parent) with an adolescent child (M age of child at Time 1 = 11.15, SD = .96, 49% female) who took part in [project name masked for blind review] at both Time 1 and Time 2. Path analysis via structural equation modeling suggested that sibling affection was longitudinally and positively related to self-regulation and prosocial behaviors, and negatively related to externalizing behaviors; while sibling hostility was positively, and having a sister was negatively related to internalizing behaviors (in general, paths were stronger for adolescents from two- vs. single-parent families). There was also evidence that adolescents' self-regulation partially mediated the relation between sibling affection and positive and negative adolescent outcomes. The discussion focuses on the importance of continued research examining the mechanisms through which the sibling relationship influences development during adolescence.

[The situation of siblings of mentally ill people].

PubMed

Schmid, R; Spiessl, H; Cording, C

2005-12-01

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the current research regarding the situation of mentally ill persons. The relevant literature was identified by means of a computerized MEDLINE search on the years 1996 - 2004 with the key words "sibling" and "mentally ill"/"chronically ill"/"psychiatric disorder" (631 articles). Also the related articles in the MEDLINE search were viewed. Finally 170 articles of journals and books were included in the review. The situation of siblings of psychiatric ill has manifold aspects, which can be classified into the following categories: Burdens due to the relationship to the ill sibling, burdens because of the relations to the shared parents and other family members, and burdens in the daily life of the siblings due to the illness of his/her sibling. On the other side there are rewards and positive developments in their life because of the illness of the sibling. Personal variables like sex, family size and age at onset of the illness are an influence on the experience of the sibling. The revealed burdens of the affected siblings require necessary answers by political representatives, professionals in and outside a clinic, and the involved families.

Differential susceptibility effects: the interaction of negative emotionality and sibling relationship quality on childhood internalizing problems and social skills.

PubMed

Morgan, Judith K; Shaw, Daniel S; Olino, Thomas M

2012-08-01

Whereas socialization influences in early childhood have been linked to children's emerging internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, relatively few studies have examined how NE might moderate such associations in both advantageous and maladaptive ways. Furthermore, more research is needed to evaluate the impact of sibling relationships as an influential socialization influence on these child outcomes. In the current study we examined how NE might differentially moderate the associations between quality of relationships with siblings and both internalizing problems and social skills at school entry. NE moderated the effects of positive and destructive sibling relationship quality on child internalizing problems. Specifically, for boys high on NE, more positive sibling relationship quality predicted fewer internalizing problems, but more destructive sibling conflict predicted more internalizing problems. NE also moderated the effects of destructive sibling conflict on child social skills. For boys high on NE, destructive sibling conflict predicted fewer social skills. Boys high on NE appear to show greater susceptibility to the effects of sibling socialization on child outcomes, relative to boys low on NE. The implications of these interactions are discussed with respect to differential susceptibility theory.

Differential Susceptibility Effects: The Interaction of Negative Emotionality and Sibling Relationship Quality on Childhood Internalizing Problems and Social Skills

PubMed Central

Shaw, Daniel S.; Olino, Thomas M.

2012-01-01

Whereas socialization influences in early childhood have been linked to children’s emerging internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, relatively few studies have examined how NE might moderate such associations in both advantageous and maladaptive ways. Furthermore, more research is needed to evaluate the impact of sibling relationships as an influential socialization influence on these child outcomes. In the current study we examined how NE might differentially moderate the associations between quality of relationships with siblings and both internalizing problems and social skills at school entry. NE moderated the effects of positive and destructive sibling relationship quality on child internalizing problems. Specifically, for boys high on NE, more positive sibling relationship quality predicted fewer internalizing problems, but more destructive sibling conflict predicted more internalizing problems. NE also moderated the effects of destructive sibling conflict on child social skills. For boys high on NE, destructive sibling conflict predicted fewer social skills. Boys high on NE appear to show greater susceptibility to the effects of sibling socialization on child outcomes, relative to boys low on NE. The implications of these interactions are discussed with respect to differential susceptibility theory. PMID:22366882

SIBLING CONFLICTS IN FULL- AND HALF-SIBLING HOUSEHOLDS IN THE UK.

PubMed

Tanskanen, Antti O; Danielsbacka, Mirkka; Jokela, Markus; Rotkirch, Anna

2017-01-01

Sibling relations are by nature ambivalent with high levels of both altruistic helping and competition. Higher relatedness is often assumed to reduce the occurrence of conflicts between siblings, but evidence of this has been scarce and mixed. Siblings typically compete over resources and parental attention, and parental constellations vary with sibship types. Since full-siblings compete over the same two biological parents, while half-siblings have only one shared biological parent and often a higher number of parents overall, it is hypothesized that conflicts are more common between full- than half-siblings. This study tested this assumption using the British Millennium Cohort Study (n=7527 children at age 11). Conflicts were measured as children's reports of how much siblings picked on and hurt each other. Households with full-siblings only, maternal half-siblings only, and both full- and maternal half-siblings were compared. The results show that children who were living with only their full-siblings were more likely to experience sibling conflicts compared with children living with their maternal half-siblings only. This was the case also after controlling for several potentially confounding variables. The results suggest that differential access to parental resources of available biological and step-parents may explain the higher amount of sibling conflict between full- compared with maternal half-siblings.

[Early sibling aggression in mammals and its hormonal correlates].

PubMed

Antonevich, A L; Naĭdenko, S V

2007-01-01

Early sibling aggression is a widespread phenomenon in birds. Ornithologists distinguish species with "obligate" and "facultative" siblicide. Sibling aggression was described in some mammal species: the domestic pig (Sus scrofa), the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), and the Iberian lynx (L. par-dinus). In all of them, sibling aggression corresponds well with the "facultative" siblicide model in birds. Sibling aggression was observed at the age of 36-64 days in both lynx species. It is usually restricted to a single fight and can change the hierarchical structure and growth rate of the kittens. In the spotted hyena and the domestic pig, the frequency and intensity of aggressive interactions between siblings are strongest during the first days of postnatal ontogeny and then decrease gradually. The newborns of these species are much developed than newborn lynx kittens. Usually adult lynx females, in contrast to hyenas and pigs, try to stop sibling fights. This is probably related to the larger parental investment at the time of the fight in lynxes (a kitten's body weight is about 10% of the mother's) than in pigs (0.5%) and hyenas (1.9%). Sibling aggression in spotted hyenas could be related to the high level of androstenedione and is not related to testosterone concentration. In the Eurasian lynx, female sibs attack their littermates slightly more often than male sibs do, and sibling aggression is not testosterone-dependent. Hormones secreted by the adrenal glands may play an important role in this phenomenon. The data available so far, however, do not positively confirm the presence of hormonal trigger effects in mammal sibling aggression.

A relational understanding of sibling experiences of children with rare life-limiting conditions: findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Malcolm, Cari; Gibson, Faith; Adams, Sally; Anderson, Gillian; Forbat, Liz

2014-09-01

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and Batten disease are rare life-limiting conditions (LLCs) characterised by progressive and permanent physical and cognitive decline. The impact of such conditions on families, and notably on siblings, has not yet been described or documented. This paper presents data from a UK-wide study that sought to understand the family experience of supporting a child with the rare degenerative LLCs of MPS and Batten disease. The aim of this paper is to report sibling experiences related to these rare degenerative and progressive conditions, in order to inform the future development of supportive interventions. Eight siblings of children with MPS (n = 7) and Batten Disease (n = 1) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. A card sort technique was utilised to support and engage the children. Siblings are clearly impacted emotionally, pragmatically and relationally by the ill health of another child in the family. The data indicate four key themes which demonstrate impacts on siblings: perceptions of the condition and its symptoms, impact on daily life, emotional consequences and ways of coping. Siblings often had considerable knowledge of the condition and took on important roles in symptom management. However, these experiences were in the context of managing relationships within the family (often protecting parents from an awareness of how much they knew) and relationships at school (including distraction from learning and being bullied by peers). The data highlight how sibling experiences are generated through a combination of negative disability discourses and support through peers and family members. The data indicate how these features shift as a consequence of witnessing the advancement of their brother's or sister's condition and the emotional sequelae of disease progression. Exploration of siblings' experiences of living with such rare progressive and degenerative LLCs suggest the focus of interventions to support this group should address their emotional health and ways to overcome isolation and build connections with other siblings who share their unique experiences. Critically, the data suggest that sibling support should be cognisant of the trajectory of the illness as well as the family, school and peer relational contexts that siblings inhabit. © The Author(s) 2013.

Adolescents' Perceptions of Relationships with Older Sibling in the Context of Other Close Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seginer, Rachel

1998-01-01

Examined 11th graders' perceived relationships with older sibling in the context of adolescent-parent and adolescent-peer relationships. Found that relationships with older siblings were similar to relationships with parents and peers. Positive sibling relationships contributed to emotional and school-related support beyond the contribution of…

Maternal Depression and Maternal Treatment of Siblings as Predictors of Child Psychopathology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarullo, Louisa B.; And Others

1995-01-01

Maternal treatment of sibling pairs with affectively ill and well mothers was examined in relation to child psychiatric status across childhood and early adolescence. Found that older siblings' symptoms were predicted by maternal bipolar or unipolar illness, whereas younger siblings' symptoms were predicted by lower maternal engagement and higher…

Cross-cousin marriage among the Yanomamö shows evidence of parent-offspring conflict and mate competition between brothers.

PubMed

Chagnon, Napoleon A; Lynch, Robert F; Shenk, Mary K; Hames, Raymond; Flinn, Mark V

2017-03-28

Marriage in many traditional societies often concerns the institutionalized exchange of reproductive partners among groups of kin. Such exchanges most often involve cross-cousins-marriage with the child of a parent's opposite-sex sibling-but it is unclear who benefits from these exchanges. Here we analyze the fitness consequences of marrying relatives among the Yanomamö from the Amazon. When individuals marry close kin, we find that ( i ) both husbands and wives have slightly lower fertility; ( ii ) offspring suffer from inbreeding depression; ( iii ) parents have more grandchildren; and ( iv ) siblings, especially brothers, benefit when their opposite-sex siblings marry relatives but not when their same-sex siblings do. Therefore, individuals seem to benefit when their children or opposite-sex siblings marry relatives but suffer costs when they, their parents, or same-sex siblings do. These asymmetric fitness outcomes suggest conflicts between parents and offspring and among siblings over optimal mating strategies. Parental control of marriages is reinforced by cultural norms prescribing cross-cousin marriage. We posit that local mate competition combined with parental control over marriages may escalate conflict between same-sex siblings who compete over mates, while simultaneously forging alliances between opposite-sex siblings. If these relationships are carried forward to subsequent generations, they may drive bilateral cross-cousin marriage rules. This study provides insights into the evolutionary importance of how kinship and reciprocity underlie conflicts over who controls mate choice and the origins of cross-cousin marriage prescriptions.

Sibling Caretaking Among Mexican American Youth: Conditions That Promote and Hinder Personal and School Success

PubMed Central

East, Patricia L.; Hamill, Sharon B.

2013-01-01

This study examined how Mexican American youths’ extent of sibling caretaking is related to their personal and school adjustment, and whether mothers’ gender-role attitudes and youths’ familistic beliefs moderate these associations. One hundred and ninety-five Mexican American youth (M age 14.8 years; 64% girls) and their mothers participated in the study. Youth completed questionnaires about their extent of sibling caretaking, their educational aspirations, school involvement, school absences, grades, and their prosocial tendencies. Results indicated that, when examined singly, frequent sibling caretaking was related to youths’ higher educational aspirations, greater prosocial tendencies, and more school engagement for older youth, but also to more school absences. When extensive sibling care was coupled with mothers’ sex-stereotyped attitudes, youth experienced poorer outcomes. Youth who held strong familistic beliefs and were highly involved in sibling care reported lower educational aspirations, particularly girls. Findings underscore the importance of considering socialization influences when evaluating associations between sibling caretaking and youths’ development. PMID:24353372

[Sibling relations between individuation and attachment: attempt at a conceptualization].

PubMed

Seiffge-Krenke, I

2001-01-01

Although sibling relationships can be considered as one of the most durable and intensive relationships, not much research in developmental psychology and family research has been done on this issue. The strong focus on parents, more specifically on mothers, stood in the way of adequate conceptualization and understanding of the function and contribution of siblings to individual development and family interaction. In this contribution a conceptualization of sibling relationships is presented. Siblings as objects of aggressive and sexual feelings as well as the function of siblings in the family system, for example, as parentification and negative identity is emphasized. In addition, the different qualities of sibling relationships, for example, envy, rivalry, similarity, and difference, are emphasized. The function of siblings as love objects is stressed, and the role of siblings as support as well as teaching object is illustrated. Finally, it is emphasized that, similar to relationships between parents and child, the quality of sibling relationships changed over time and leads, for example, to a detachment between sibling relationships during adolescence.

Factors Related to Sibling Removal after a Child Maltreatment Fatality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damashek, Amy; Bonner, Barbara L.

2010-01-01

Objectives: Many children who die from abuse or neglect are survived by siblings. However, little data are available about what happens to these siblings after the victim's death, such as whether they are removed from their home. Even less is known about how decisions are made regarding sibling removal following a child fatality. This study…

Siblings, Language, and False Belief in Low-Income Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tompkins, Virginia; Farrar, M. Jeffrey; Guo, Ying

2013-01-01

The authors examined the relationship between number of siblings and false belief understanding (FBU) in 94 low-income 4-5-year-olds. Previous research with middle-income children has shown a positive association between number of siblings and FBU. However, it is unclear whether having multiple siblings in low-income families is related to better…

Longitudinal Links between Older Sibling Features and Younger Siblings' Academic Adjustment during Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchey, Heather A.; Shoulberg, Erin K.; Jodl, Kathleen M.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2010-01-01

This study investigated prospective relations between older siblings' support and academic engagement and younger siblings' academic adjustment from 7th to post-8th grade. The study was unique in that it incorporated a sample of both African American and European American adolescents. Also investigated was the extent to which the gender…

Sibling Conflict in Middle Childhood: Influence of Maternal Context and Mother-Sibling Interaction over Four Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Nina; Fiorentino, Lisa M.; Gariepy, Nadine

2003-01-01

Investigated: (1) influence of maternal context on frequency and types of conflicts of sibling dyads in middle childhood, and (2) the stability of maternal and sibling interaction over 4 years. Found that maternal presence depressed conflict frequency and aggression. Earlier patterns of family interaction were related to later indices of sibling…

Self-Esteem Maintenance in Family Dynamics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tesser, Abraham

1980-01-01

In this study, a self-esteem maintenance model is introduced and is used to test predictions about sibling identification, sibling friction, and the closeness of father-son relationships as they relate to sibling performance. (Author/SS)

Longitudinal effects of sibling relationship quality on adolescent problem behavior: a cross-ethnic comparison.

PubMed

Buist, Kirsten L; Paalman, Carmen H; Branje, Susan J T; Deković, Maja; Reitz, Ellen; Verhoeven, Marjolein; Meeus, Wim H J; Koot, Hans M; Hale, William W

2014-04-01

The aim of the present study was to examine whether adolescents of Moroccan and Dutch origin differ concerning sibling relationship quality and to examine whether the associations between quality of the sibling relationship and level and change in externalizing and internalizing problem behavior are comparable for Moroccan and Dutch adolescents. Five annual waves of questionnaire data on sibling support and conflict as well as externalizing problems, anxiety and depression were collected from 159 ethnic Moroccan adolescents (Mage = 13.3 years) and from 159 ethnic Dutch adolescents (Mage = 13.0 years). Our findings demonstrated significant mean level differences between the Moroccan and Dutch sample in sibling relationship quality, externalizing problems, and depression, with Moroccan adolescents reporting higher sibling relationship quality and less problem behavior. However, effects of sibling relationship quality on externalizing problems, anxiety, and depression were similar for the Moroccan and Dutch samples. Sibling support was not related to level of externalizing problems, nor to changes in externalizing problems, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, more sibling conflict was related to a higher starting level of and faster decreases in problem behaviors. Our results support the ethnic equivalence model, which holds that the influence of family relationships is similar for different ethnic groups. Moreover, sibling support and conflict affect both the level and the fluctuations in problem behavior over time in specific ethnic groups similarly. Implications for future studies and interventions are subsequently discussed.

Why Can't I Be More Like My Brother? The Role and Correlates of Sibling Social Comparison Orientation.

PubMed

Jensen, Alexander C; Pond, Amanda M; Padilla-Walker, Laura M

2015-11-01

Siblings play an important role in relational and individual development throughout adolescence and beyond through several mechanisms. Central to this role and the mechanisms of sibling influence is the notion that siblings provide a constant and meaningful frame of reference for social comparison. This study examined the role of sibling social comparison orientation, or the tendency of siblings to compare themselves to one another, on youths' depressive symptoms and family relationships, both directly and by moderating links with parental differential treatment. Participants included 338 youth (M age = 18.34, SD = 1.03; 52 % female). Using hierarchical ordinary least squares regression, we found that a higher sibling social comparison orientation was linked with more depressive symptoms, warmer sibling relationships, and more sibling conflict. Additionally, sibling social comparison orientation moderated links of parental differential treatment with depressive symptoms and prosocial behavior toward family members such that effects were more salient for those with a high comparison orientation. The discussion focuses on the role of sibling comparison in the ways that siblings influence one another's development.

Bullying in the family: sibling bullying.

PubMed

Wolke, Dieter; Tippett, Neil; Dantchev, Slava

2015-10-01

Sibling relationships have a substantial and lasting effect on children's development. Many siblings experience some occasional conflict, however, up to 40% are exposed to sibling bullying every week, a repeated and harmful form of intrafamilial aggression. We review evidence on the precursors, factors relating to peer bullying, and mental health consequences of sibling bullying. Parenting quality and behaviour are the intrafamilial factors most strongly associated with bullying between siblings. Sibling bullying increases the risk of being involved in peer bullying, and is independently associated with concurrent and early adult emotional problems, including distress, depression, and self-harm. The effects appear to be cumulative, with those children bullied by both siblings and peers having highly increased emotional problems compared with those bullied by siblings or peers only, probably because they have no safe place to escape from bullying. The link between sibling and peer bullying suggests interventions need to start at home. Health professionals should ask about sibling bullying and interventions are needed for families to prevent and reduce the health burden associated with sibling bullying. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An examination of the psychosocial factors influencing colorectal cancer patients' communication of colorectal cancer patient risk with their siblings.

PubMed

Lawsin, Catalina; Duhamel, Katherine; Itzkowitz, Steven; Brown, Karen; Lim, Helen; Jandorf, Lina

2009-11-01

This study examined psychosocial factors influencing colorectal cancer (CRC) patients' communication with their first-degree relatives regarding their CRC risk. Among a sample of CRC patients who were members of a colon registry in New York (n = 127), 60% reported discussing CRC risk with their siblings. These discussions were related to the CRC patients' age of diagnosis, such that those diagnosed before age 45 years were more likely to communicate with their siblings about CRC risk. Despite advances made in CRC prevention, compliance with screening recommendations among individuals who may be at familial risk for the disease is low. Perhaps this underrepresentation reflects how CRC patients communicate with their first-degree relatives about their potential risk for the disease. This study examined the psychosocial factors influencing whether CRC patients communicate with their siblings about CRC risk. The sample included CRC patients with siblings who enrolled in a colon disease registry at a NYC metropolitan hospital. Participants completed questionnaires regarding their current psychosocial functioning, perceived risk of sibling's development of CRC, and communication of CRC risk with their siblings. Patients were predominantly Caucasian, with a mean age of 60.4 years. Of the 127 patients, 60% engaged in discussions with their siblings regarding their CRC risk. Patients diagnosed with CRC before the age of 45 years were more likely to discuss the risk of CRC with their siblings (P < 0.01). These data suggest that CRC patients may serve as an effective vehicle to promote CRC screening and support the need for health care providers to not only educate patients of the familial risk of CRC, but to also encourage these patients to communicate this information with their siblings.

Fronto-striatal Dysfunction During Reward Processing in Unaffected Siblings of Schizophrenia Patients

PubMed Central

de Leeuw, Max; Kahn, René S.; Vink, Matthijs

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that is associated with impaired functioning of the fronto-striatal network, in particular during reward processing. However, it is unclear whether this dysfunction is related to the illness itself or whether it reflects a genetic vulnerability to develop schizophrenia. Here, we examined reward processing in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Brain activity was measured during reward anticipation and reward outcome in 27 unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 29 healthy volunteers using a modified monetary incentive delay task. Task performance was manipulated online so that all subjects won the same amount of money. Despite equal performance, siblings showed reduced activation in the ventral striatum, insula, and supplementary motor area (SMA) during reward anticipation compared to controls. Decreased ventral striatal activation in siblings was correlated with sub-clinical negative symptoms. During the outcome of reward, siblings showed increased activation in the ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex compared to controls. Our finding of decreased activity in the ventral striatum during reward anticipation and increased activity in this region during receiving reward may indicate impaired cue processing in siblings. This is consistent with the notion of dopamine dysfunction typically associated with schizophrenia. Since unaffected siblings share on average 50% of their genes with their ill relatives, these deficits may be related to the genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia. PMID:25368371

Familial aggregation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Chen, Qi; Brikell, Isabell; Lichtenstein, Paul; Serlachius, Eva; Kuja-Halkola, Ralf; Sandin, Sven; Larsson, Henrik

2017-03-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aggregates in families. To date, the strength, pattern, and characteristics of the familial aggregation have not been thoroughly assessed in a population-based family sample. In this cohort study, we identified relative pairs of twins, full and half-siblings, and full and half cousins from 1,656,943 unique individuals born in Sweden between 1985 and 2006. The relatives of index persons were followed from their third birthday to 31 December 2009 for ADHD diagnosis. Birth year adjusted hazard ratio (HR), that is, the rate of ADHD in relatives of ADHD-affected index persons compared with the rate of ADHD in relatives of unaffected index persons, was estimated in the different types of relatives using Cox proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 31,865 individuals were diagnosed with ADHD (male to female ratio was 3.7). The birth year adjusted HRs were as follows: 70.45 for monozygotic twins; 8.44 for dizygotic twins; 8.27 for full siblings; 2.86 for maternal half-siblings; 2.31 for paternal half-siblings; 2.24 for full cousins; 1.47 for half cousins. Maternal half-siblings had significantly higher HR than in paternal half-siblings. The HR did not seem to be affected by index person's sex. Full siblings of index persons with ADHD diagnosis present at age 18 or older had a higher rate of ADHD (HR: 11.49) than full siblings of index persons with ADHD diagnosis only before age 18 (HR: 4.68). Familial aggregation of ADHD increases with increasing genetic relatedness. The familial aggregation is driven by not only genetic factors but also a small amount of shared environmental factors. Persistence of ADHD into adulthood indexes stronger familial aggregation of ADHD. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Integrating Parents' Views on Sibling Relationships to Tailor an Evidence-based Parenting Intervention for Sibling Conflict.

PubMed

Pickering, John A; Sanders, Matthew R

2017-03-01

Parents play a crucial role in the development of their children's relationships with their siblings. Despite this, relatively few evidence-based parenting programs exist that specifically offer parents the strategies and techniques they desire and require for managing their children's sibling relationships. One way of bridging this gap is to design a tailored parenting intervention for sibling relationships that incorporates the parent voice in various aspects of program design. The current study recruited a convenience sample of 409 Australian parents to complete an online survey relating to their views on difficult sibling behaviors and what, if any, help they desire in dealing with the issue. The majority of respondents were Caucasian, middle- to upper-class mothers. Respondents predominantly attributed the causes of sibling conflict to their child's internal traits, but expressed strong desire for assistance with managing behavioral problems, especially when sibling relationships were marked by physical aggression. Respondents reported high levels of acceptability for positive, rather than punitive, parenting strategies and showed a clear preference for parenting interventions delivered in easy-to-access formats. The findings are interpreted in the context of guiding the development of a tailored parenting intervention for enhancing sibling relationships and reducing conflict. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Crossing Social Contexts: Relational Aggression between Siblings and Friends during Early and Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stauffacher, Kirstin; DeHart, Ganie B.

2006-01-01

Children often learn and apply behaviors in sibling interactions before they routinely use such behaviors in peer interactions. As part of a longitudinal study of relational aggression, 46 children were videotaped at home in semi-structured free play situations with siblings and with friends at age 4 and again at age 8. Observations revealed that…

Altered cognitive development in the siblings of individuals with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Barch, Deanna M.; Cohen, Rachel; Csernansky, John

2014-01-01

The goal of the current study was to further investigate the late neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia by examining cross-sectional, age-related changes in cognitive function among young adult: 1) siblings of individuals with schizophrenia (N = 66); (2) healthy control participants (N = 77); and (3) the siblings of healthy controls (N = 77). All subjects participated in a battery of tasks in four domains: 1) IQ; 2) working memory; 3) episodic memory; and 4) executive function. We found significant group differences in the relationships between age and performance in working memory and episodic memory, with similar patterns for executive function and verbal IQ. The siblings of individuals with schizophrenia showed impaired performance in working memory, episodic memory, and executive function. In addition, healthy controls and/or their siblings showed age-related improvements in all four cognitive domains, while the siblings of individuals with schizophrenia only showed this for verbal IQ. PMID:25485180

Altered cognitive development in the siblings of individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Barch, Deanna M; Cohen, Rachel; Csernansky, John

2014-03-01

The goal of the current study was to further investigate the late neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia by examining cross-sectional, age-related changes in cognitive function among young adult: 1) siblings of individuals with schizophrenia (N = 66); (2) healthy control participants (N = 77); and (3) the siblings of healthy controls (N = 77). All subjects participated in a battery of tasks in four domains: 1) IQ; 2) working memory; 3) episodic memory; and 4) executive function. We found significant group differences in the relationships between age and performance in working memory and episodic memory, with similar patterns for executive function and verbal IQ. The siblings of individuals with schizophrenia showed impaired performance in working memory, episodic memory, and executive function. In addition, healthy controls and/or their siblings showed age-related improvements in all four cognitive domains, while the siblings of individuals with schizophrenia only showed this for verbal IQ.

The relation between having siblings and children's cheating and lie-telling behaviors.

PubMed

O'Connor, Alison M; Evans, Angela D

2018-04-01

The current study investigated how having at least one child sibling influenced children's dishonest behaviors. Furthermore, for those children with a sibling, we examined whether having a younger or older sibling and the age difference between siblings influenced deceptive acts. Children between 3 and 8 years of age (N = 130) completed the temptation resistance paradigm, where they played a guessing game and were asked not to peek at a toy in the experimenter's absence. Children's peeking behavior was used as a measure of cheating, and children's responses when asked whether they had peeked were used as measures of lie-telling. Results demonstrate that siblings do indeed influence children's deceptive behaviors. First, children with a sibling were significantly more likely to cheat compared with children without any siblings. Next, for those with a sibling, children with a larger age difference with their younger sibling(s) were significantly more likely to lie compared with children closer in age, and children with a younger sibling were significantly more likely to maintain their lie during follow-up questioning compared with children with an older sibling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive correlates of gray matter abnormalities in adolescent siblings of patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Wagshal, Dana; Knowlton, Barbara Jean; Cohen, Jessica Rachel; Bookheimer, Susan Yost; Bilder, Robert Martin; Fernandez, Vindia Gisela; Asarnow, Robert Franklin

2015-01-01

Patients with childhood onset schizophrenia (COS) display widespread gray matter (GM) structural brain abnormalities. Healthy siblings of COS patients share some of these structural abnormalities, suggesting that GM abnormalities are endophenotypes for schizophrenia. Another possible endophenotype for schizophrenia that has been relatively unexplored is corticostriatal dysfunction. The corticostriatal system plays an important role in skill learning. Our previous studies have demonstrated corticostriatal dysfunction in COS siblings with a profound skill learning deficit and abnormal pattern of brain activation during skill learning. This study investigated whether structural abnormalities measured using volumetric brain morphometry (VBM) were present in siblings of COS patients and whether these were related to deficits in cognitive skill learning. Results revealed smaller GM volume in COS siblings relative to controls in a number of regions, including occipital, parietal, and subcortical regions including the striatum, and greater GM volume relative to controls in several subcortical regions. Volume in the right superior frontal gyrus and cerebellum were related to performance differences between groups on the weather prediction task, a measure of cognitive skill learning. Our results support the idea that corticostriatal and cerebellar impairment in unaffected siblings of COS patients are behaviorally relevant and may reflect genetic risk for schizophrenia. PMID:25541139

Siblings of children with cystic fibrosis: quality of life and the impact of illness.

PubMed

Havermans, T; Wuytack, L; Deboel, J; Tijtgat, A; Malfroot, A; De Boeck, C; Proesmans, M

2011-03-01

To asses self-reported quality of life (QoL) and perception of impact of illness on siblings of children with cystic fibrosis (CF). The Child Health Questionnaire was used to assess QoL. The Sibling Perception Questionnaire was used to assess impact of illness. Siblings of children with CF (n= 39) rated their QoL higher than siblings of healthy children on most QoL domains (e.g. Physical Functioning, Behavior, Mental Health). Siblings older than the child with CF reported a higher impact of CF than younger siblings. Perceived impact of illness was higher when the child with CF had been hospitalized or was intermittent or chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Siblings of children with CF reported a good QoL. QoL and impact of illness were related to indices of CF severity. Insight into sibling-issues helps CF teams to provide family-oriented care. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Violence as a Strategy of the Weak against the Strong: The Case of Siblings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feld, Scott L.

This paper considers the case of violence between siblings in the family, and describes findings based on a U.S. national sample that show the relatively frequent use of violence by weaker siblings against more powerful siblings. Analysis and theoretical discussion shows that even though strong actors have greater means for using violence, and…

Autonomy-Supportive Parenting and Autonomy-Supportive Sibling Interactions: The Role of Mothers' and Siblings' Psychological Need Satisfaction.

PubMed

van der Kaap-Deeder, Jolene; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Soenens, Bart; Loeys, Tom; Mabbe, Elien; Gargurevich, Rafael

2015-11-01

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. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Do Parents Treat Siblings Similarly or Differently with Regard to Feeding Practices, Weight-Related Conversations, and Support for Physical Activity? An Exploratory Analysis

PubMed Central

Meyer, Craig; MacLehose, Richard F.; Loth, Katie; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: It is unknown if parents with more than one adolescent child use similar or different parenting practices of relevance to weight-related health with different children. In particular, it is unclear whether parenting practices differ based on whether siblings are discordant on weight status (i.e., one is overweight/obese, one is nonoverweight/obese) or are different sexes. Methods: Data from two linked population-based studies, Eating and Activity in Teens (EAT) 2010 and Families and Eating and Activity in Teens (F-EAT), were used in this exploratory cross-sectional analysis. Participants included socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse parents (n = 57; 93% females) and adolescent siblings (n = 57 pairs; 60% girls; mean age = 14.5, range = 11–18). Students filled out surveys and had anthropometric measures taken in school. Parents filled out mailed surveys in their homes. Results: Overall, results from this exploratory study showed limited evidence that parents use different parenting practices with adolescents of different weight status or sex. However, potentially important patterns emerged when exploring parenting practices and siblings' weight status. For example, within sibling dyads with discordant weight status, parents reported significantly more negative weight-related conversations with overweight/obese siblings compared to nonoverweight/obese siblings (p < 0.05). Although observed differences were not statistically significant, parents also reported higher levels of food restriction (p = 0.05) and encouragement to diet (p = 0.07) with overweight/obese siblings compared to nonoverweight/obese siblings. There were no significant differences in parenting practices by adolescent sex. Conclusions: Results generally suggest that parents use similar parenting practices with adolescent siblings. However, notable patterns emerged when examining parenting practices and siblings' weight status that may be important to explore in future research. PMID:26699095

Understanding sibling influence on adolescents' alcohol use: Social and cognitive pathways.

PubMed

Whiteman, Shawn D; Jensen, Alexander C; Mustillo, Sarah A; Maggs, Jennifer L

2016-02-01

Research indicates that older siblings uniquely influence their younger brothers' and sisters' substance use behaviors during adolescence; however, the underlying mechanisms of socialization are rarely examined. The present study investigated whether social and/or cognitive pathways mediated the association between adolescent siblings' alcohol use and whether these pathways were moderated by the gender composition of the sibling dyad. Participants included one parent and two adolescent siblings (M age=14.52 and 17.17years) from 326 families. Data were collected via telephone interviews. Path analysis demonstrated that the association between older and younger siblings' alcohol use was mediated via social and cognitive pathways. Specifically, older siblings' drinking was positively related to the frequency of siblings' co-use as well as more positive expectations about alcohol, which in turn were positively associated with younger siblings' alcohol use. Identifying the ways in which siblings influence each other's substance use and health is critical because they are emerging and effective targets of intervention and prevention. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

My older sibling was drunk - younger siblings' drunkenness in relation to parental monitoring and the parent-adolescent relationship.

PubMed

Gossrau-Breen, Diana; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Gmel, Gerhard

2010-10-01

This study explored the links between having older siblings who get drunk, satisfaction with the parent-adolescent relationship, parental monitoring, and adolescents' risky drinking. Regression models were conducted based on a national representative sample of 3725 8th to 10th graders in Switzerland (mean age 15.0, SD = .93) who indicated having older siblings. Results showed that both parental factors and older siblings' drinking behaviour shape younger siblings' frequency of risky drinking. Parental monitoring showed a linear dose-response relationship, and siblings' influence had an additive effect. There was a non-linear interaction effect between parent-adolescent relationship and older sibling's drunkenness. The findings suggest that, apart from avoiding an increasingly unsatisfactory relationship with their children, parental monitoring appears to be important in preventing risky drinking by their younger children, even if the older sibling drinks in such a way. However, a satisfying relationship with parents does not seem to be sufficient to counterbalance older siblings' influence.

Five-factor personality measures in Chinese university students: effects of one-child policy?

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Du, Wuying; Liu, Ping; Liu, Jianhui; Wang, Yehan

2002-01-31

Since the one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, many investigators have studied the psychological consequences to children without siblings. Although the results are not conclusive, there is evidence that children who have siblings, rather than only children, have increased anxiety and depression. Whether the differences between students with and without siblings would continue when they reached university age is an interesting question. We used the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire to assess personality traits and the Plutchik-van Praag Depression Inventory to measure depressed mood in 134 university students with and 126 university students without siblings. Most students without siblings (93.7%) were reared in urban areas, while 90.3% of students with siblings came from rural areas. Parental professions were higher in social status and annual family incomes were higher in students without siblings. Increased neuroticism-anxiety, aggression-hostility, and depressed mood were found in students with siblings. Gender and annual family income were not significantly related to personality in the two groups, and birth-order position was not related to personality in the students with siblings. In contrast, the depression score was positively correlated with neuroticism-anxiety and aggression-hostility, but negatively correlated with parental occupation and annual family income. The greater competition to receive high education, reduced benefits from society, and lower level of social respect might nurture these personality traits in students with siblings. These findings might, in some limited aspects, indicate that the one-child policy affects personality traits and depressed mood in students with siblings.

Siblings exposed to intimate partner violence: linking sibling relationship quality & child adjustment problems.

PubMed

Piotrowski, Caroline C; Tailor, Ketan; Cormier, Damien C

2014-01-01

Although the majority of families that experience intimate partner violence (IPV) have more than one child, most research to date has focused upon a single child within these families. A significant body of research has indicated siblings play an important role in children's adjustment and well-being. To address this gap, the three main goals of the present study were to compare the adjustment of older and younger siblings exposed to IPV, to describe and compare the quality of these sibling relationships from multiple perspectives, and to investigate how sibling adjustment and relationship quality influence children's adjustment. Forty-seven sibling pairs and their mothers were recruited from the community. Mothers self-reported on their violent experiences using the Conflict Tactics Scale, and also estimated the length of time their children were exposed to IPV. Mothers and children completed assessments of child adjustment and the quality of sibling relationships. Observers also assessed the quality of sibling interaction. Results indicated that adjustment between siblings was highly inter-related. On average, mothers reported sibling relationships as less positive but also as less hostile than did siblings themselves. Higher levels of sibling hostility, lower levels of sibling warmth and higher levels of disengagement each significantly predicted child adjustment; however, these effects were predicated upon the adjustment of the other sibling. The sibling relationships of children exposed to IPV made a difference in their individual adjustment, and their adjustment issues influenced how they feel about and interacted with their sibling. Sibling hostility played a stronger role in adjustment issues than sibling warmth. The nature of sibling influences and the direction of future research were discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and health-related quality of life in the siblings of the pediatric bone marrow transplantation survivors and post-traumatic stress disorder in their mothers.

PubMed

Gizli Çoban, Özge; Sürer Adanır, Aslı; Özatalay, Esin

2017-09-01

Although BMT is lifesaving in many childhood diseases, it was found to be related to anxiety, depression, and PTSD in parents, and PTSD, anxiety and overall low self-esteem in siblings. Research on siblings' HRQoL is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate PTSD and HRQoL in siblings (donor and non-donor) of pediatric BMT survivors and PTSD in their mothers, compared to the healthy controls. Thirty-five siblings and their mothers and 35 healthy peers and their mothers were recruited as the study group and as the comparison group, respectively. In children, Child PTSD-Reaction Index for PTSD and PedsQL for HRQoL were used. PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version was used for PTSD in mothers. The study group, both children and mothers, obtained significantly higher PTSD rates than the control group. Children in the study group also reported significantly poorer HRQoL than the control group in all scales. As a novel finding, there was a significant negative correlation between siblings' and mothers' PTSD scores and siblings' PedsQL scores, indicating that PTSD symptoms in siblings and mothers significantly led to impairment in siblings' HRQoL or vice versa. Thus, the identification and treatment of siblings and mothers with PTSD seems imperative. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Familial risk and sibling mentalization: Links with preschoolers' internalizing problems.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Michelle; Binnoon-Erez, Noam; Prime, Heather; Perlman, Michal; Jenkins, Jennifer M

2017-09-01

The current study explored whether older sibling mentalization moderated the relationship between familial risk for internalizing symptoms and the development of future internalizing problems in the younger siblings, referred to as target children. Data were collected on 397 older siblings at Time 1 (T1) when target children were newborn and their older siblings were on average 2.61 years old (SD = .75). Target children were on average 1.60 years old at Time 2 (T2). Internalizing problems were assessed via mother and partner reports. Familial risk was operationalized as the average of all older siblings' level of internalizing problems. Older sibling mentalization, indexed by internal state talk and reasoning, was observed and coded during a sibling pretend-play interaction at T2. Results revealed a significant interaction between familial risk of internalizing problems and older siblings' mentalizing abilities, showing that familial risk was related to target children's internalizing problems in the absence of sibling mentalization. Familial risk was not associated with target children's internalizing problems when siblings demonstrated mentalizing abilities. Findings support the need to consider sibling mentalization as a protective factor for children's internalizing problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Sibling relationship quality moderates the associations between parental interventions and siblings' independent conflict strategies and outcomes.

PubMed

Recchia, Holly E; Howe, Nina

2009-08-01

This study extends research on sibling conflict strategies and outcomes by examining unique and interactive associations with age, relative birth order, sibling relationship quality, and caregivers' interventions into conflict. Each of 62 sibling dyads (older sibling mean age = 8.39 years; younger sibling mean age = 6.06 years) discussed 1 recurring conflict alone (dyadic negotiation) and a 2nd conflict with their primary parental caregiver (triadic negotiation). Negotiations were coded for children's conflict strategies, outcomes, and caregiver interventions; each family member provided ratings of sibling relationship quality. Results revealed that age was associated with siblings' constructive strategies, particularly in the dyadic negotiation. With age controlled, younger siblings referred more frequently to their own perspective. Caregivers' future orientation in the triadic negotiation was associated with children's future orientation in the dyadic negotiation; however, this association was most evident when sibling relationship quality was high. Similarly, caregivers' past orientation was positively associated with dyadic compromise, especially when relationship quality was high. Results reveal the value of simultaneously considering associations among parental, affective, and developmental correlates of sibling conflict strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Beyond Sibling Rivalry: How To Help Your Children Become Cooperative, Caring, and Compassionate. An Owl Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenthal, Peter

Based on the premise that sibling relationships need to be viewed in the context of the family as a whole, this book provides practical guidelines and tools for parents to reduce friction between children and to resolve sibling conflict. Using many different types of family problems as examples, the book illustrates that how siblings relate to one…

Birth Order Rank as a Moderator of the Relation between Behavior Problems among Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomeny, Theodore S.; Barry, Tammy D.; Bader, Stephanie H.

2014-01-01

Variability within the literature investigating typically-developing siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder suggests that the quality of sibling outcomes may depend on specific factors. For this study, 42 parents of a child with an autism spectrum disorder and a typically-developing sibling provided data via online questionnaires.…

Theory-of-Mind Development and Early Sibling Relationships after the Birth of a Sibling: Parental Discipline Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Ju-Hyun; Volling, Brenda L.

2018-01-01

This study investigated relations among children's Theory-of-Mind (ToM) development, early sibling interactions, and parental discipline strategies during the transition to siblinghood. Using a sample of firstborn children and their parents (N = 208), we assessed children's ToM before the birth of a sibling and 12 months after the birth, and…

All in the Family: Correlations between Parents’ and Adolescent Siblings’ Weight and Weight-related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Berge, Jerica M.; Meyer, Craig; MacLehose, Richard F.; Crichlow, Renee; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-01-01

Objective To examine whether and how parents’ and adolescent siblings’ weight and weight-related behaviors are correlated. Results will inform which family members may be important to include in adolescent obesity prevention interventions. Design and Methods Data from two linked population-based studies, EAT 2010 and F-EAT, were used for cross-sectional analyses. Parents (n=58; 91% females; mean age=41.7 years) and adolescent siblings (sibling #1 n=58, 50% girls, mean age=14.3 years; sibling #2 n=58, 64% Girls, mean age=14.8) were socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse. Results Some weight-related behaviors between adolescent siblings were significantly positively correlated (i.e., fast food consumption, breakfast frequency, sedentary patterns, p<0.05). There were no significant correlations between parent weight and weight-related behaviors and adolescent siblings’ same behaviors. Some of the significant correlations found between adolescent siblings’ weight-related behaviors were statistically different from correlations between parents’ and adolescent siblings’ weight-related behaviors. Conclusions Although not consistently, adolescent siblings’ weight-related behaviors were significantly correlated as compared to parents’ and adolescent siblings’ weight-related behaviors. It may be important to consider including siblings in adolescent obesity prevention interventions or in recommendations healthcare providers give to adolescents regarding their weight and weight-related behaviors. PMID:25820257

Cross-cousin marriage among the Yanomamö shows evidence of parent–offspring conflict and mate competition between brothers

PubMed Central

Chagnon, Napoleon A.; Lynch, Robert F.; Shenk, Mary K.; Hames, Raymond; Flinn, Mark V.

2017-01-01

Marriage in many traditional societies often concerns the institutionalized exchange of reproductive partners among groups of kin. Such exchanges most often involve cross-cousins—marriage with the child of a parent’s opposite-sex sibling—but it is unclear who benefits from these exchanges. Here we analyze the fitness consequences of marrying relatives among the Yanomamö from the Amazon. When individuals marry close kin, we find that (i) both husbands and wives have slightly lower fertility; (ii) offspring suffer from inbreeding depression; (iii) parents have more grandchildren; and (iv) siblings, especially brothers, benefit when their opposite-sex siblings marry relatives but not when their same-sex siblings do. Therefore, individuals seem to benefit when their children or opposite-sex siblings marry relatives but suffer costs when they, their parents, or same-sex siblings do. These asymmetric fitness outcomes suggest conflicts between parents and offspring and among siblings over optimal mating strategies. Parental control of marriages is reinforced by cultural norms prescribing cross-cousin marriage. We posit that local mate competition combined with parental control over marriages may escalate conflict between same-sex siblings who compete over mates, while simultaneously forging alliances between opposite-sex siblings. If these relationships are carried forward to subsequent generations, they may drive bilateral cross-cousin marriage rules. This study provides insights into the evolutionary importance of how kinship and reciprocity underlie conflicts over who controls mate choice and the origins of cross-cousin marriage prescriptions. PMID:28289230

Relative risk of probabilistic category learning deficits in patients with schizophrenia and their siblings

PubMed Central

Weickert, Thomas W.; Goldberg, Terry E.; Egan, Michael F.; Apud, Jose A.; Meeter, Martijn; Myers, Catherine E.; Gluck, Mark A; Weinberger, Daniel R.

2010-01-01

Background While patients with schizophrenia display an overall probabilistic category learning performance deficit, the extent to which this deficit occurs in unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia is unknown. There are also discrepant findings regarding probabilistic category learning acquisition rate and performance in patients with schizophrenia. Methods A probabilistic category learning test was administered to 108 patients with schizophrenia, 82 unaffected siblings, and 121 healthy participants. Results Patients with schizophrenia displayed significant differences from their unaffected siblings and healthy participants with respect to probabilistic category learning acquisition rates. Although siblings on the whole failed to differ from healthy participants on strategy and quantitative indices of overall performance and learning acquisition, application of a revised learning criterion enabling classification into good and poor learners based on individual learning curves revealed significant differences between percentages of sibling and healthy poor learners: healthy (13.2%), siblings (34.1%), patients (48.1%), yielding a moderate relative risk. Conclusions These results clarify previous discrepant findings pertaining to probabilistic category learning acquisition rate in schizophrenia and provide the first evidence for the relative risk of probabilistic category learning abnormalities in unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia, supporting genetic underpinnings of probabilistic category learning deficits in schizophrenia. These findings also raise questions regarding the contribution of antipsychotic medication to the probabilistic category learning deficit in schizophrenia. The distinction between good and poor learning may be used to inform genetic studies designed to detect schizophrenia risk alleles. PMID:20172502

Sibling Relationships among Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikami, Amori Yee; Pfiffner, Linda J.

2008-01-01

Objective: This study investigated the quality of sibling relationships among children with ADHD relative to those without ADHD. Additional analyses examined whether externalizing and internalizing problems comorbid with ADHD affected sibling relationships. Method: Participants were 77 children with ADHD and 14 nonproblem control children. Sibling…

Parents, Siblings, and Peers: Close Social Relationships and Adolescent Deviance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ardelt, Monika; Day, Laurie

2002-01-01

Examined relations between parents, older siblings, peers, adolescents' individual characteristics, and adolescents' deviant attitudes and behaviors among inner-city families. Structural equation models showed that older deviant siblings had the strongest effect on adolescent deviance. Positive family relationships, parental support, and…

Siblings Promote a Type 1/Type 17-oriented immune response in the airways of asymptomatic neonates.

PubMed

Wolsk, H M; Chawes, B L; Følsgaard, N V; Rasmussen, M A; Brix, S; Bisgaard, H

2016-06-01

Siblings have been shown to reduce the risk of childhood asthma and allergy, but the mechanism driving this association is unknown. The objective was to study whether siblings affect the airway immune response in healthy neonates, which could represent an underlying immune modulatory pathway. We measured 20 immune mediators related to the Type 1, Type 2, Type 17, or regulatory immune pathways in the airway mucosa of 571 one-month-old asymptomatic neonates from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood2010 birth cohort (COPSAC2010 ). The association between airway mediator levels and presence of siblings was investigated using conventional statistics and principle component analysis (PCA). Neonates with siblings had an upregulated level of airway immune mediators, with predominance of Type 1- and Type 17-related mediators. This was supported by the PCA showing a highly significant difference between children with vs without siblings: P < 10(-10) , which persisted after adjustment for potential confounders including pathogenic airway bacteria and viruses: P < 0.0001. The immune priming effect was inversely associated with time since last childbirth: P = 0.0015. Siblings mediate a Type 1/Type 17-related immune-stimulatory effect in the airways of asymptomatic neonates, also after adjustment for pathogenic bacteria and viruses, indicating that siblings exert a transferable early immune modulatory effect. These findings may represent an in utero immune priming effect of the fetal immune system caused by previous pregnancies as the effect was attenuated with time since last childbirth, or it could relate to the presence of unidentified microbes, but further studies are needed to confirm our findings. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alcohol-related morbidity and mortality within siblings.

PubMed

Søndergaard, Grethe; Osler, Merete; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Andersen, Per Kragh; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg; Mortensen, Laust H

2015-03-01

To estimate the association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality among full siblings in comparison with non-related individuals. Cohort study. Denmark. Approximately 1.4 million full siblings born in Denmark between 1950 and 1979 were followed from age 28-58 years or censoring due to alcohol-related hospitalization and mortality. Cox regression analyses were used to estimate associations of educational status with alcohol-related outcomes. Results from cohort analyses based on non-related individuals and inter-sibling analyses were compared. A lower educational status was associated with a higher rate of alcohol-related outcomes, especially among the youngest (aged 28-37 years) and individuals born 1970-79. Compared with the cohort analyses, the associations attenuated slightly in the inter-sibling analysis. For example, in the cohort analysis, females with a basic school education born 1970-79 had an increased rate of alcohol-related non-somatic morbidity and mortality [hazard rate ratio (HR) = 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.27-5.02] compared to those with a vocational education. In the inter-sibling analysis, the HR attenuated (HR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.95-3.63). For alcohol-related somatic outcomes the corresponding figures were HR = 3.47 (95% CI = 2.63-4.58) and HR = 3.36 (95% CI = 2.10-5.38), respectively. In general, the associations were stronger among females than males (aged 28-37) in the analyses of alcohol-related non-somatic outcomes. Health conditions earlier in life explained only a minor part of the associations. The association between educational status and alcohol-related somatic and non-somatic morbidity and mortality is only driven by familial factors to a small degree. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The sibling experience: growing up with a child who has pervasive developmental disorder or mental retardation.

PubMed

Schuntermann, Peter

2007-01-01

Parents raising a child with significant developmental challenges are profoundly aware of the often sustained impact of that child's special needs upon their other children. Supported by recent research on siblings of developmentally challenged children, clinicians are advocating family-based interventions that take into account the needs of siblings. This article reviews the experience of siblings who live with brothers or sisters diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder or mental retardation. Contributions from research on typical siblings are drawn upon when appropriate. Six domains of the sibling experience are identified. These domains explore relational shifts within sibling relationships and through the expectable differential parental treatment of each child. Shifts considered in this review include the interrelationships with the extended family, peers, and friendships, all of which contribute to shaping the meaning that siblings give to living with developmentally challenged brothers or sisters across time.

"Life Still Isn't Fair": Parental Differential Treatment of Young Adult Siblings.

PubMed

Jensen, Alexander C; Whiteman, Shawn D; Fingerman, Karen L; Birditt, Kira S

2013-04-01

Parental differential treatment has been linked to individual well-being and sibling relationship quality in childhood, adolescence, and middle adulthood, but has not been examined in young adulthood. Data were collected from 151 pairs of young adult siblings ( N = 302, Mean age = 23.90, SD = 5.02). Two siblings in each family reported on treatment from mothers and fathers, depressive symptoms, and sibling relationship quality. Using multi-level modeling, analyses examined the role of favoritism and the magnitude of differential treatment from both mothers and fathers. Offspring who reported receiving less support relative to their sibling (i.e., less favored) reported more depressive symptoms. Greater amounts of differential treatment were associated with less sibling intimacy. Several associations, however, varied by parent gender, sibling gender composition, and the magnitude of differential treatment. Results suggest that favoritism and magnitude of differential treatment from both mothers and fathers are salient in young adulthood.

Academic Achievement in Children With Oral Clefts Versus Unaffected Siblings

PubMed Central

Wehby, George L.; Barron, Sheila; Romitti, Paul A.; Ansley, Timothy N.; Speltz, Matthew L.

2014-01-01

Objective To compare academic achievement in children with oral-facial clefts (OFC) with their unaffected siblings. Methods 256 children with OFC were identified from the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders, and 387 unaffected siblings were identified from birth certificates. These data were linked to Iowa Testing Programs achievement data. We compared academic achievement in children with OFC with their unaffected siblings using linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders. In post hoc analyses, we explored modifiers of siblings’ academic performance. Results Achievement scores were similar between children with OFC and their siblings. Children with cleft palate only were significantly more likely to use special education than their unaffected siblings. Siblings’ academic achievement was inversely related to distance in birth order and age from the affected child. Conclusion Children with OFC and their siblings received similar achievement scores. Younger siblings, in particular, may share a vulnerability to poor academic outcomes. PMID:24993102

The role of economic strain on adolescent delinquency: a microsocial process model.

PubMed

Low, Sabina; Sinclair, Ryan; Shortt, Joann Wu

2012-08-01

The current study examines the role of economic strain as a moderator of the microsocial processes influencing younger siblings' delinquency (externalizing behavior and substance use) in a longitudinal design. The younger siblings (122 younger brothers and 122 younger sisters) were from 244 families with same-sex biological siblings. Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine a process model whereby mothers' harsh/inconsistent parenting and older sibling delinquency influence younger siblings' delinquent behavior via sibling aggression and delinquent peer affiliation. Findings suggest that indirect mechanisms vary as a function of economic strain, with sibling aggression having a stronger, more detrimental effect on adolescent delinquency in economically strained families. Data suggest that familial economic conditions contextualize the relative roles of parenting, sibling, and peer processes in the transmission of risk to adolescent delinquency. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Responsiveness of rat fetuses to sibling motor activity: Communication in utero?

PubMed

Brumley, Michele R; Hoagland, Riana; Truong, Melissa; Robinson, Scott R

2018-04-01

Previous research has revealed that fetuses detect and respond to extrauterine stimuli such as maternal movement and speech, but little attention has been cast on how fetuses may directly influence and respond to each other in the womb. This study investigated whether motor activity of E20 rat fetuses influenced the behavior of siblings in utero. Three experiments showed that; (a) contiguous siblings expressed a higher frequency of synchronized movement than noncontiguous siblings; (b) fetuses that lay between two siblings immobilized with curare showed less movement relative to fetuses between saline or uninjected controls; and (c) fetuses between two siblings behaviorally activated by the opioid agonist U50,488 also showed less activity and specific behavioral changes compared to controls. Our findings suggest that rat fetuses are directly impacted by sibling motor activity, and thus that a rudimentary form of communication between siblings may influence the development of fetuses in utero. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sibling experiences after a major childhood burn injury.

PubMed

Lehna, Carlee

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to understand, primarily from the sibling perspective, the effect of a child's major burn injury on his or her sibling. A mixed method qualitative dominant design was implemented using the life story method for the qualitative portion. Additionally, the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire -Revised (SRQ-R) was used as a structured interview guide and for calculating scoring data to explore sibling relationship factors of warmth/closeness, rivalry, conflict, and relative status/power. Participants from 22 family cases (one or multiple family members) and 40 individuals were interviewed. To capture impact on the family over time, interviews began a minimum of two years post-burn. The central thematic pattern for the sibling relationship in families having a child with a major burn injury was that of normalization. Two components of normalization were described: areas of normalization and the process of adjustment. Areas of normalization were found in play and other activities, in school and work, and in family relations with siblings. The process of adjustment was varied and often gradual, involved school and work re-entry, and in some instances, seemed to change life perspective. Clinical implications in providing family-centered care can focus on promoting normalization by assessing and supporting siblings who may only be occasionally seen in the hospital or clinic.

Aggression between siblings: Associations with the home environment and peer bullying.

PubMed

Tippett, Neil; Wolke, Dieter

2015-01-01

Sibling aggression is a common form of intra-familial aggression, yet has been largely neglected by research. Using an inclusive measure of sibling aggression, this study investigated, firstly, prevalence of sibling aggression and associations with family and household characteristics, and secondly, the relationship between sibling aggression and peer bullying. Participants were 4,237 adolescents from Wave 1 of Understanding Society. Four types of sibling aggression were measured: physical, verbal, stealing and teasing, and combined into composite measures of victimization and perpetration. Regression analysis identified associations with demographic characteristics, family and sibling composition, parent-child relationships and socioeconomic status and explored the link between sibling aggression and involvement in peer bullying. Using a broad definition, sibling aggression was found to be widespread, with 46% of all participants being victimized and 36% perpetrating aggression. Household and family characteristics, including a large family size, male siblings, and financial difficulties were associated with greater rates of sibling aggression. Parenting behavior showed the strongest relationship: harsh parenting increased the risk of sibling aggression while positive parenting protected against it. Sibling aggression was also homotypically related to involvement in peer bullying. Victimization by siblings significantly increased the odds of being a victim of peer bullying, and perpetrators of sibling aggression were more likely to be both peer bullies and bully-victims. Considering the adverse effects of sibling aggression on physical and mental health, the study provides pointers for efforts to reduce the risk of sibling aggression. Furthermore, the link with peer bullying suggests that school anti-bullying efforts should also take account of children's sibling relationships. Aggr. Behav. 41:14-24, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early social-communicative and cognitive development of younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Stone, Wendy L; McMahon, Caitlin R; Yoder, Paul J; Walden, Tedra A

2007-04-01

To compare the early social-communicative development of younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) with that of younger siblings of children with typical development, using parental report and child-based measures. Group comparison. Vanderbilt University, between July 1, 2003, and July 31, 2006. Younger siblings of children with ASD (n = 64) and younger siblings of children with typical development (n = 42) between the ages of 12 and 23 months (mean, 16 months). Main Exposure Having a sibling with an ASD. Child-based measures included a cognitive assessment; an interactive screening tool assessing play, imitation, and communication; and a rating of autism symptoms. Parental report measures were an interview of social-communicative interactions and a questionnaire assessing language and communication skills. Younger siblings of children with ASD demonstrated weaker performance in nonverbal problem solving (mean difference [MD], 5.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.48-9.34), directing attention (MD, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.07-0.97), understanding words (MD, 33.30; 95% CI, 3.11-63.48), understanding phrases (MD, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.85-7.27), gesture use (MD, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.51-2.47), and social-communicative interactions with parents (MD, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.27-2.37), and had increased autism symptoms (MD, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.05-4.03), relative to control siblings. A substantial minority of the ASD sibling group exhibited lower performance relative to controls. Significant correlations between child-based measures and parental reports assessing similar constructs were found (r = -0.74 to 0.53; P range, .000-.002). The weaker performance found for children in the ASD sibling group may represent early-emerging features of the broader autism phenotype, thus highlighting the importance of developmental surveillance for younger siblings.

Understanding Adolescent Delinquency: The Role of Older Siblings’ Delinquency and Popularity with Peers

PubMed Central

Craine, Jessica L.; Tanaka, Teri A.; Nishina, Adrienne; Conger, Katherine J.

2009-01-01

The present study examined delinquency concordance and the moderating effects of younger sibling perceptions of older sibling popularity in a sample of 587 adolescent sibling pairs. Using a social learning framework, and taking dyad composition into account, perceptions of popularity were hypothesized to strengthen siblings’ concordance for delinquency. Older sibling delinquency significantly predicted younger sibling delinquency. Older sibling popularity was not important in predicting boys’ delinquency. However, perceptions of older sibling popularity directly predicted reduced delinquency for girls with older sisters. A significant interaction effect was found for girls with older brothers. Older brother delinquency predicted girls’ delinquency for girls who perceived their older brother to be relatively popular. There was no delinquency concordance for girls who perceived their older brothers to be less popular. PMID:20305731

"Barter", "Deals", "Bribes" and "Threats": Exploring Sibling Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, Ian; Punch, Samantha

2009-01-01

This article investigates forms of strategic interaction between siblings during childhood. The authors argue that these interactions, characterized by notions of reciprocity, equivalence and constructions of fairness, are worked out in relation to responsibility, power, knowledge and sibling status. Birth order and age are not experienced as…

Sibling Relationships: Their Causes and Consequences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Gene H., Ed.

1996-01-01

This volume in the Applied Developmental Psychology Series consists of a collection of papers on current sibling research and theory. Prominent researchers and academicians in developmental psychology present reports on aspects of sibling relations in an effort to better understand individual and family growth. These scholars have dealt with…

Incidence of urinary tract infection among siblings of children with vesicoureteral reflux

PubMed Central

Nelson, Caleb P.; Finkelstein, Jonathan A.; Logvinenko, Tanya; Schuster, Mark A.

2016-01-01

Background Siblings of children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) are at elevated risk of VUR. Screening siblings may identify VUR prior to a clinical illness such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), but the benefit of screening has not been demonstrated. We sought to determine the incidence of UTI among siblings, and hypothesized that the sibling UTI rate is similar between screened and unscreened siblings. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort analysis using insurance claims data (1/1/00-12/31/09). Within each family, we identified the index VUR patient and siblings, and included siblings who were enrolled in the insurance plan from birth for at least 1 year. We identified siblings who were screened for VUR and/or had UTI. We investigated the association of screening and UTI, controlling for patient characteristics and clustering within families. Results Among 617 siblings (associated with 497 index patients), 317 (51%) were female. Median insurance enrollment time was 53.0 months, with 424 enrolled ≥3 years. Among those with 1 or 3 years of enrollment, proportion of siblings who experienced UTI was 8.4% (52/617) and 10.4% (44/424), respectively. Median age at initial UTI was 32.7 months. 223 siblings (36.0%) underwent sibling screening. There was no significant difference in UTI between screened and unscreened siblings (OR [95%CI]: 1.57 [0.87-2.85]; p=0.14). In multivariate analysis, screening was not associated with sibling UTI incidence (OR [95%CI]:1.33 [0.68-2.60]; p=0.40). Conclusions Although UTI is relatively common among siblings of VUR patients, there was no statistically significant difference in UTI incidence between screened and unscreened siblings. PMID:26589543

Incidence of Urinary Tract Infection Among Siblings of Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux.

PubMed

Nelson, Caleb P; Finkelstein, Jonathan A; Logvinenko, Tanya; Schuster, Mark A

2016-07-01

Siblings of children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) are at elevated risk of VUR. Screening siblings may identify VUR before a clinical illness such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), but the benefit of screening has not been demonstrated. We sought to determine the incidence of UTI among siblings, and we hypothesized that the sibling UTI rate is similar between screened and unscreened siblings. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis using insurance claims data (January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009). Within each family, we identified the index VUR patient and siblings; we included siblings who were enrolled in the insurance plan from birth for at least 1 year. We identified siblings who were screened for VUR and/or had UTI. We investigated the association of screening and UTI, controlling for patient characteristics and clustering within families. Among 617 siblings (associated with 497 index patients), 317 (51%) were girls. Median insurance enrollment time was 53.0 months, with 424 enrolled ≥3 years. Among those with 1 or 3 years of enrollment, the proportions of siblings who experienced UTI was 8.4% (52 of 617) and 10.4% (44 of 424), respectively. Median age at initial UTI was 32.7 months. A total of 223 siblings (36.0%) underwent sibling screening. There was no significant difference in UTI between screened and unscreened siblings (odds ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 0.87-2.85; P = .14). In multivariate analysis, screening was not associated with sibling UTI incidence (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 0.68-2.60; P = .40). Although UTI is relatively common among siblings of VUR patients, there was no statistically significant difference in UTI incidence between screened and unscreened siblings. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Response of testosterone and corticosterone plasma levels to the challenge of sibling competition: a study in common terns.

PubMed

Braasch, Alexander; Becker, Peter H; Groothuis, Ton G G

2014-08-01

The hormonal response to social challenges has been widely studied, however, most work focused on adult behavior in a reproductive context although developing animals also encounter important social challenges early in life. We studied the relationship between acute sibling competition and plasma corticosterone (CORT) and testosterone (T) in common tern (Sterna hirundo) chicks, a species whose young compete for access to food by scramble interactions. Blood samples were taken in nests with two and only one single chick both immediately after a feeding bout and in non-challenged controls. We found that T levels were lower in siblings challenged by a feeding bout as compared to controls, which may be explained by the fact that T suppresses begging behavior and is only elevated in response to territorial intrusion but not sibling competition in a related species. Singletons had, corrected for body condition, generally lower CORT levels than siblings suggesting that growing up with siblings creates a competitive environment in which high CORT levels are sustained irrespective of a social challenge. CORT levels were also negatively correlated with body condition and were higher in males than in females. The latter may be related to sex-specific food requirements and susceptibility to stress. Our results suggest a possible suppressive effect of acute sibling competition on T secretion, and a positive effect on CORT levels by longer term sibling competition. The degree to which these dynamics are related to begging or aggression, or both, needs further experimental work. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Siblings and childhood mental health: evidence for a later-born advantage.

PubMed

Lawson, David W; Mace, Ruth

2010-06-01

The social and health sciences have often emphasised the negative impacts of large sibship size and late birth order on childhood. For example, it is now well established that, other things being equal, children in large families and/or with many older siblings, receive lower allocations of care time from both parents, are more likely to grow up in conditions of economic hardship, and, as a likely consequence, exhibit relatively poor educational and physical health outcomes. Few researchers have, however, quantitatively assessed how siblings may influence indicators of mental health, where it is conceivable that social interactions with siblings may have a positive influence. Here, using data from a large British cohort survey (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), we explored the effects of sibling configuration on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, as a multidimensional index for mental health problems. We demonstrate a significant socio-economic gradient in mental health between the ages of three and nine years, but little evidence for negative effects of large sibship size. Rerunning this analysis to examine birth order, a much clearer pattern emerged; the presence of older siblings was associated with relatively good mental health, while the presence of younger siblings was associated with relatively poor mental health. This suggests that being born into a large family, providing the child is not joined by subsequent siblings, may carry important benefits unconsidered by past research. We discuss possible interpretations of this pattern and the wider implications for understanding the family context of child development. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

32 CFR 776.27 - Conflict of interests: Prohibited transactions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... giving the covered attorney or a person related to the covered attorney as parent, child, sibling, or... attorney who is related as parent, child, sibling, or spouse to the covered attorney, except upon consent...

Sibling rivalry: related bacterial small RNAs and their redundant and non-redundant roles

PubMed Central

Caswell, Clayton C.; Oglesby-Sherrouse, Amanda G.; Murphy, Erin R.

2014-01-01

Small RNA molecules (sRNAs) are now recognized as key regulators controlling bacterial gene expression, as sRNAs provide a quick and efficient means of positively or negatively altering the expression of specific genes. To date, numerous sRNAs have been identified and characterized in a myriad of bacterial species, but more recently, a theme in bacterial sRNAs has emerged: the presence of more than one highly related sRNAs produced by a given bacterium, here termed sibling sRNAs. Sibling sRNAs are those that are highly similar at the nucleotide level, and while it might be expected that sibling sRNAs exert identical regulatory functions on the expression of target genes based on their high degree of relatedness, emerging evidence is demonstrating that this is not always the case. Indeed, there are several examples of bacterial sibling sRNAs with non-redundant regulatory functions, but there are also instances of apparent regulatory redundancy between sibling sRNAs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of bacterial sibling sRNAs, and also discusses important questions about the significance and evolutionary implications of this emerging class of regulators. PMID:25389522

Sibling rivalry: related bacterial small RNAs and their redundant and non-redundant roles.

PubMed

Caswell, Clayton C; Oglesby-Sherrouse, Amanda G; Murphy, Erin R

2014-01-01

Small RNA molecules (sRNAs) are now recognized as key regulators controlling bacterial gene expression, as sRNAs provide a quick and efficient means of positively or negatively altering the expression of specific genes. To date, numerous sRNAs have been identified and characterized in a myriad of bacterial species, but more recently, a theme in bacterial sRNAs has emerged: the presence of more than one highly related sRNAs produced by a given bacterium, here termed sibling sRNAs. Sibling sRNAs are those that are highly similar at the nucleotide level, and while it might be expected that sibling sRNAs exert identical regulatory functions on the expression of target genes based on their high degree of relatedness, emerging evidence is demonstrating that this is not always the case. Indeed, there are several examples of bacterial sibling sRNAs with non-redundant regulatory functions, but there are also instances of apparent regulatory redundancy between sibling sRNAs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of bacterial sibling sRNAs, and also discusses important questions about the significance and evolutionary implications of this emerging class of regulators.

Psychological Functioning, Post-Traumatic Growth, and Coping in Parents and Siblings of Adolescent Cancer Survivors.

PubMed

Turner-Sack, Andrea M; Menna, Rosanne; Setchell, Sarah R; Maan, Cathy; Cataudella, Danielle

2016-01-01

To examine psychological functioning, post-traumatic growth (PTG), coping, and cancer-related characteristics of adolescent cancer survivors' parents and siblings.
. Descriptive, correlational.
. Children's Hospital of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
. Adolescents who finished cancer treatment 2-10 years prior (n = 31), as well as their parents (n = 30) and siblings (n = 18). 
. Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, PTG, life satisfaction, coping, and cancer-related characteristics.
. Psychological functioning, PTG, and coping.
. Parents' and siblings' PTG levels were similar to survivors' PTG levels; however, parents reported higher PTG than siblings. Parents who used less avoidant coping, were younger, and had higher life satisfaction experienced less psychological distress. Parents whose survivor children used more active coping reported less psychological distress. Siblings who were older used more active coping, and the longer it had been since their brother or sister was diagnosed, the less avoidant coping they used. 
. Childhood and adolescent cancer affects survivors' siblings and parents in unique ways.
. Relationship to the survivor, use of coping strategies, life satisfaction, and time since diagnosis affect family members' postcancer experiences.

The relative contributions of parents and siblings to child and adolescent development.

PubMed

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Updegraff, Kimberly

2009-01-01

Guided by an ecological framework, we explore how siblings' and parents' roles, relationships, and activities are intertwined in everyday life, providing unique and combined contributions to development. In a departure from past research that emphasized the separate contributions of siblings and parents to individual development, we find that examining the conjoint or interactive effects of sibling and parent influences promises to extend our understanding of the role of family in children's and adolescents' social, emotional, and cognitive development. Understood within the context of family and sociocultural characteristics, siblings' unique roles as agents of socialization are illuminated.

Adolescents' Relationships to Siblings and Mothers: A Multivariate Genetic Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussell, Danielle A.; And Others

1999-01-01

Examined relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to the covariation between sibling relationships and mother/adolescent relationships in 719 same-sex sibling pairs of varying degrees of genetic relatedness. Found that the overlapping effects of shared environment on the two relationship subsystems explained most of the…

Competition and Cohesion in Sibling Relations during the Adaptation to Remarriage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Edward R.; North, Alyson M.

One goal of a longitudinal study of stepfamilies, divorced maternal custody families, and nondivorced families was to assess the quality and functioning of the sibling relationship and to determine the conditions under which sibling relationships become more cohesive or more competitive during family transitions. Relationships between the target…

Sibling Relationships and Influences in Childhood and Adolescence

PubMed Central

McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Whiteman, Shawn D.

2014-01-01

The authors review the literature on sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence, starting by tracing themes from foundational research and theory and then focusing on empirical research during the past 2 decades. This literature documents siblings’ centrality in family life, sources of variation in sibling relationship qualities, and the significance of siblings for child and adolescent development and adjustment. Sibling influences emerge not only in the context of siblings’ frequent and often emotionally intense interactions but also by virtue of siblings’ role in larger family system dynamics. Although siblings are building blocks of family structure and key players in family dynamics, their role has been relatively neglected by family scholars and by those who study close relationships. Incorporating study of siblings into family research provides novel insights into the operation of families as social and socializing systems. PMID:24653527

Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Hereditary Bleeding Disorders and in Children and Adolescents with Stroke: Cross-Sectional Comparison to Siblings and Peers

PubMed Central

Neuner, Bruno; von Mackensen, Sylvia; Holzhauer, Susanne; Funk, Stephanie; Klamroth, Robert; Kurnik, Karin; Krümpel, Anne; Halimeh, Susan; Reinke, Sarah; Frühwald, Michael; Nowak-Göttl, Ulrike

2016-01-01

Objectives. To investigate self-reported health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions compared with siblings/peers. Methods. Group 1 (6 treatment centers) consisted of 74 children/adolescents aged 8–16 years with hereditary bleeding disorders (HBD), 12 siblings, and 34 peers. Group 2 (one treatment center) consisted of 70 children/adolescents with stroke/transient ischemic attack, 14 siblings, and 72 peers. HrQoL was assessed with the “revised KINDer Lebensqualitätsfragebogen” (KINDL-R) questionnaire. Multivariate analyses within groups were done by one-way ANOVA and post hoc pairwise single comparisons by Student's t-tests. Adjusted pairwise comparisons were done by hierarchical linear regressions with individuals nested within treatment centers (group 1) and by linear regressions (group 2), respectively. Results. No differences were found in multivariate analyses of self-reported HrQoL in group 1, while in group 2 differences occurred in overall wellbeing and all subdimensions. These differences were due to differences between patients and peers. After adjusting for age, gender, number of siblings, and treatment center these differences persisted regarding self-worth (p = .0040) and friend-related wellbeing (p < .001). Conclusions. In children with HBD, HrQoL was comparable to siblings and peers. In children with stroke/TIA HrQoL was comparable to siblings while peers, independently of relevant confounder, showed better self-worth and friend-related wellbeing. PMID:27294108

Abnormal functional motor lateralization in healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Altamura, Mario; Fazio, Leonardo; De Salvia, Michela; Petito, Annamaria; Blasi, Giuseppe; Taurisano, Paolo; Romano, Raffaella; Gelao, Barbara; Bellomo, Antonello; Bertolino, Alessandro

2012-07-30

Earlier neuroimaging studies of motor function in schizophrenia have demonstrated reduced functional lateralization in the motor network during motor tasks. Here, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visually guided motor task in 18 clinically unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia and 24 matched controls to investigate if abnormal functional lateralization is related to genetic risk for this brain disorder. Whereas activity associated with motor task performance was mainly contralateral with only a marginal ipsilateral component in healthy participants, unaffected siblings had strong bilateral activity with significantly greater response in ipsilateral and contralateral premotor areas as well as in contralateral subcortical motor regions relative to controls. Reduced lateralization in siblings was also identified with a measure of laterality quotient. These findings suggest that abnormal functional lateralization of motor circuitry is related to genetic risk of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult sibling experience, roles, relationships and future concerns - a review of the literature in learning disabilities.

PubMed

Davys, Deborah; Mitchell, Duncan; Haigh, Carol

2011-10-01

This paper provides a review of the literature related to adult siblings of learning-disabled people. Siblings of learning-disabled people are often looked upon as next of kin when older parents die; however, there is little research regarding sibling views and wishes. A literature review of published peer-reviewed empirical research was undertaken. Electronic databases and citation tracking were used to collate data using key terms such as adult siblings and learning disability. Relevant articles were analysed, compared and contrasted. Six key themes emerged suggesting a varied impact of learning disability upon sibling lives in areas that include life choices, relationships, identity and future plans. Some siblings report a positive impact upon life, others state their lives are comparable with other adults who do not have a learning-disabled sibling and others still report a negative impact. Sibling roles and relationships are varied. Evidence suggests that sibling roles, relationships and experience are affected by life stage. Parents often have a primary care role for the disabled person, whilst siblings perform a more distant role; however, sibling involvement often rises when parents are no longer able to provide previous levels of support. Many factors appear to affect the sibling experience and uptake of roles including gender, life stage and circumstances, level of disability, health status and relationships between family members. Siblings are concerned about the future, particularly when parents are no longer able to provide support, and many appear to have expectations of future responsibilities regarding their disabled sibling. As siblings of people who have a learning disability are often expected by society to provide support, it is important that health and social care practitioners are aware of issues that may impact on this relationship. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The relationship between attitude to disabled siblings and ratings of behavioural competency.

PubMed

Wilson, C J; McGillivray, J A; Zetlin, A G

1992-08-01

The impact of maturation factors and functioning level on the relationship between disabled and non-disabled siblings was examined. Two groups of adults, distinguished by level of functioning of their mentally retarded sibling, completed a Schaefer Sibling Behavior Inventory (SBI) and participated in a semi-structured interview. The latter explored a number of dimensions of the relationship including degree of warmth, contact and involvement. Judgements about involvement and comfort as remembered from the past and judgements about the present were obtained to derive hypotheses about possible changes with time. Data from the SBI indicated that significantly more competent siblings tended to be involved in relationships with a higher degree of reciprocity. In contrast, measures of attitude derived from interview data did not appear to relate to the functioning level of the sibling in any systematic manner. The results suggest that level of discomfort with peers may decrease significantly over the years with neither level of functioning nor gender being important variables. The extent to which non-disabled individuals expressed a preparedness to participate in the life of their disabled sibling may relate to the life-stage of the two. Males in particular anticipated increased future involvement. Although higher-functioning siblings were described as more active in the relationship, this did not appear to influence perceived positiveness of regard. The implications of these results are discussed briefly.

Birth order and sibling sex ratio in homosexual and heterosexual non-white men.

PubMed

Bogaert, A F

1998-10-01

Researchers interested in the development of sexual orientation have investigated predominantly or exclusively White samples. To address this imbalance, the relations between sexual orientation and two biodemographic variables, birth order and sibling sex ratio, were examined in a sample of non-White men. The men (N = 823) were interviewed by investigators at the Kinsey Institute for Sex and Reproduction from 1938 to 1963. A significantly later birth order was observed for non-White homosexual men relative to non-White heterosexual men. Non-White homosexual men also had an elevated sibling sex ratio. Results add to the generalizability of the birth order and sibling sex ratio effects previously observed to occur in (White) homosexual men.

Sibling genes as environment: Sibling dopamine genotypes and adolescent health support frequency dependent selection.

PubMed

Rauscher, Emily; Conley, Dalton; Siegal, Mark L

2015-11-01

While research consistently suggests siblings matter for individual outcomes, it remains unclear why. At the same time, studies of genetic effects on health typically correlate variants of a gene with the average level of behavioral or health measures, ignoring more complicated genetic dynamics. Using National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data, we investigate whether sibling genes moderate individual genetic expression. We compare twin variation in health-related absences and self-rated health by genetic differences at three locations related to dopamine regulation and transport to test sibship-level cross-person gene-gene interactions. Results suggest effects of variation at these genetic locations are moderated by sibling genes. Although the mechanism remains unclear, this evidence is consistent with frequency dependent selection and suggests much genetic research may violate the stable unit treatment value assumption. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intra-family stressors among adult siblings sharing caregiving for parents.

PubMed

Ngangana, Pamela C; Davis, Bertha L; Burns, Dorothy P; McGee, Zina T; Montgomery, Arlene J

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to describe a Neuman Systems Model-guided study of perceptions of family stressors experienced by adult siblings who share caregiving for their parents and the influence of these stressors on adult siblings' relationships. The task of providing informal care for disabled parents is often shared by adult siblings. Family stressors experienced as part of caregiving may affect the sibling relationship. A mixed-method study design was used. Data were collected during 2013-2014 from 84 adult sibling caregivers. Seventy-two caregivers provided quantitative data for the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale and the Zarit Burden Scale and 79 provided qualitative data for the open-ended question. Adult siblings experienced mild-to-moderate levels of burden from family stressors when they share parental caregiving. The amount of burden from intra-family stressors was negatively related to the adult sibling relationship. Beneficial and noxious stressors were evident in the participants' responses to an open-ended question. The health of the parents affected the lives of adult siblings in both negative and positive ways. Although the majority of the adult siblings expressed a willingness to care for their parent(s) in an attempt to reciprocate the care, they had received from them, challenges emerged from dealing with family stressors. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The role of older siblings in infant motor development.

PubMed

Leonard, Hayley C; Hill, Elisabeth L

2016-12-01

Previous research has suggested that infant motor skills may be affected by older siblings but has not considered whether this is due to specific characteristics of the older sibling or of the quality of the sibling relationship. The current study used a longitudinal diary method to record infant motor milestones from 23 infants with older siblings along with parent reports and standardized assessments of motor skills. Parent reports of the older siblings' motor skills and the sibling relationship were also collected until the infants were 18months old. The motor skills, age, and sex of the older siblings were not significantly related to any measure of infant motor development. A significant correlation was revealed between perceived agonism between siblings and infant fine motor skills at 18months, suggesting the importance of considering reciprocal effects of motor development on sibling relationships. Overall, the suggestion that older siblings may provide a good model of motor skills for infants is not supported by the current data. In the future, it will be important to assess the dynamic interactions between different factors in predicting infant motor development, allowing early identification of motor difficulties, which could affect other areas of cognitive development and health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The interaction between people with Down syndrome and their siblings: an exploratory study].

PubMed

Batista, Bruna Rafaela de; Duarte, Márcia; Cia, Fabiana

2016-10-01

The presence of a disabled person causes transformations in the family that demand a redefinition of the role of each member. Siblings, like all other members, experience frustration, acceptance, guilt and adaptation. In this respect, an attempt was made to; (a) analyze the interaction between a sibling with standard development and a sibling with Down syndrome; (b) identify what information and reaction the siblings with standard development have regarding the diagnosis of Down syndrome; (c) verify whether or not there were changes in the family context and also changes in their own lives after the birth of the sibling with Down syndrome. The survey was conducted through interviews, the participants being seven children with standard development having siblings with Down syndrome. The study showed that the siblings, as well as the other family members, experience processes of acceptance, confusion and other complex emotions related to the disability, albeit they are not as marked as those experienced by their parents. A fact revealed in this study is the importance of support groups for siblings, seeking to handle issues such as prejudice and adverse feelings towards disability. The siblings with standard development must have correct information, as well as support, in order to foster healthy interaction between siblings.

Sibship size, sibling cognitive sensitivity, and children's receptive vocabulary.

PubMed

Prime, Heather; Pauker, Sharon; Plamondon, André; Perlman, Michal; Jenkins, Jennifer

2014-02-01

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between sibship size and children's vocabulary as a function of quality of sibling interactions. It was hypothesized that coming from a larger sibship (ie, 3+ children) would be related to lower receptive vocabulary in children. However, we expected this association to be moderated by the level of cognitive sensitivity shown by children's next-in-age older siblings. Data on 385 children (mean age = 3.15 years) and their next-in-age older siblings (mean age = 5.57 years) were collected and included demographic questionnaires, direct testing of children's receptive vocabulary, and videos of mother-child and sibling interactions. Sibling dyads were taped engaging in a cooperative building task and tapes were coded for the amount of cognitive sensitivity the older sibling exhibited toward the younger sibling. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted and showed an interaction between sibship size and sibling cognitive sensitivity in the prediction of children's receptive vocabulary; children exposed to large sibships whose next-in-age older sibling exhibited higher levels of cognitive sensitivity were less likely to show low vocabulary skills when compared with those children exposed to large sibships whose siblings showed lower levels of cognitive sensitivity. Children who show sensitivity to the cognitive needs of their younger siblings provide a rich environment for language development. The negative impact of large sibships on language development is moderated by the presence of an older sibling who shows high cognitive sensitivity.

Forgotten family members: the importance of siblings in early psychosis.

PubMed

Bowman, Siann; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario; Wade, Darryl; McGorry, Patrick; Howie, Linsey

2014-08-01

This paper reviews the evidence on the significance of sibling inclusion in family interventions and support during early psychosis. This narrative review presents the current research related to the importance of family work during early psychosis, the needs and developmental significance of siblings during adolescence and early adulthood, the protective effects of sibling relationships, and the characteristics of early psychosis relevant to the sibling experience. It will also review the evidence of the sibling experience in chronic physical illness and disability, as well as long-term psychotic illness. Despite the evidence that working with families is important during early psychosis, siblings have been largely ignored. Siblings are an important reciprocal relationship of long duration. They play an important role in development during adolescence and early adulthood. These relationships may be an underutilized protective factor due to their inherent benefits and social support. Developmental theories imply that early psychosis could negatively impact the sibling relationship and their quality of life, effecting personality development and health outcomes. The evidence shows that adolescent physical illness or disability has a significantly negative impact on the sibling's quality of life and increases the risk for the onset of mental health issues. Long-term psychotic illness also results in negative experiences for siblings. Current evidence shows that siblings in early psychosis experience psychological distress and changes in functional performance. Further research using standard measures is required to understand the impact early psychosis has on the sibling relationship and their quality of life. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

A Closer Look at Siblings of Patients with Schizophrenia: The Association of Depression History and Sex with Cognitive Phenotypes

PubMed Central

Wisner, Krista M.; Elvevåg, Brita; Gold, James M.; Weinberger, Daniel R.; Dickinson, Dwight

2010-01-01

Background Siblings of patients with schizophrenia show impaired cognition and an increased prevalence of depression history. Although sex has been shown to moderate cognition in patients, this effect has not been examined in siblings. Here we elucidate how a history of depression and sex influences cognition in siblings unaffected by schizophrenia. Methods Unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia and unrelated healthy controls were evaluated neuropsychologically and completed structured clinical interviews. Participants with a depression history or no psychiatric history were selected for the sample. Cognitive performance of siblings (n = 366) and controls (n = 680) was first examined. Second, cognition of participants with a depression history and those without a psychiatric history was compared while additionally investigating the role of schizophrenia risk and sex. Results Relative to controls, siblings, with and without a psychiatric history, demonstrated significant (p < .05) cognitive deficits. Depression history impaired cognition in siblings, but not in controls; whereas sex affected cognition in both siblings and controls. In siblings alone, sex significantly interacted with depression history to influence cognition. This interaction revealed that in male - but not female - siblings a history of depression was associated with greater cognitive impairments. Conclusion A history of depression impairs cognition in siblings, but not in controls. Moreover, depression history interacts with sex and demonstrates that only cognition in male siblings is significantly and additionally compromised by a history of depression. This interaction may be an important consideration for future phenotype and genetic association studies. PMID:21030214

Siblings' Perceptions of Differential Treatment, Fairness, and Jealousy and Adolescent Adjustment: A Moderated Indirect Effects Model.

PubMed

Loeser, Meghan K; Whiteman, Shawn D; McHale, Susan M

2016-08-01

Youth's perception of parents' differential treatment (PDT) are associated with maladjustment during adolescence. Although the direct relations between PDT and youth's maladjustment have been well established, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. We addressed this gap by examining whether sibling jealousy accounted for the links between PDT and youth's depressive symptoms, self-worth, and risky behaviors. Additionally, we examined whether youth's perceptions of fairness regarding their treatment as well as the gender constellation of the dyad moderated these indirect relations (i.e., moderated-indirect effects). Participants were first- and second-born adolescent siblings ( M = 15.96, SD = .72 years for older siblings, M = 13.48, SD = 1.02 years for younger siblings) and their parents from 197 working and middle class European American families. Data were collected via home interviews. A series of Conditional Process Analyses revealed significant indirect effects of PDT through sibling jealousy to all three adjustment outcomes. Furthermore, perceptions of fairness moderated the relations between PDT and jealousy, such that the indirect effects were only significant at low (-1 SD ) and average levels of fairness. At high levels of fairness (+1 SD ) there was no association between PDT, jealousy, and youth adjustment. Taken together, results indicate that youth and parents would benefit from engaging in clear communication regarding the reasoning for the occurrence of differential treatment, likely maximizing youth and parent perceptions of that treatment as being fair, and in turn mitigating sibling jealousy and maladjustment.

Sibling Relationships and Adjustment in Children with Disabled and Nondisabled Brothers and Sisters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHale, Susan M.; And Others

A study was made of relationships between particular family dynamics and the well-being of children with disabled siblings. Attention focused on the relation to children's adjustment of three issues emphasized in the literature: (1) children's family responsibilities, including sibling caregiving and household tasks, which may be more demanding…

Siblings of Disabled Children: Birth Order and Age-Spacing Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breslau, Naomi

1982-01-01

Siblings (N=237) of disabled children were compared to 248 siblings from a random family sampling to examine the effects of relative birth order and age spacing on psychological functioning. Younger males scored higher than older males on psychological impairment, while younger females were psychologically better off than older females. (CL)

Compensatory Effects of Sibling Support in Preadolescence and Adolescence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milevsky, Avidan; Levitt, Mary J.

The current study is an examination of how support from siblings relates to academic competence in early adolescence, with a focus on the compensatory effects of sibling support. Participants were 694 African-American, European-American, and Hispanic-American students, ranging in age from 11 to 15. Participants were interviewed in school regarding…

Predictors of Future Caregiving by Adult Siblings of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Meghan M.; Taylor, Julie Lounds; Urbano, Richard; Hodapp, Robert M.

2012-01-01

With the growing life expectancy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, siblings will increasingly assume responsibility for the care of their brother or sister with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Using a 163-item survey completed by 757 siblings, the authors identified factors related to future caregiving…

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Sibling Relationships: Research and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyer, Julia F.

2009-01-01

Significant attention has been paid in the literature to sibling relationships and the effects of birth order, family size, and gender on such relationships. Although these are important areas to study, there is relatively little research on the effects of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on sibling relationships. The existent research identifies…

The Relative Contributions of Parents and Siblings to Child and Adolescent Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Updegraff, Kimberly

2009-01-01

Guided by an ecological framework, we explore how siblings' and parents' roles, relationships, and activities are intertwined in everyday life, providing unique and combined contributions to development. In a departure from past research that emphasized the separate contributions of siblings and parents to individual development, we find that…

Sibling Status Effects: Adult Expectations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baskett, Linda Musun

1985-01-01

This study attempted to determine what expectations or beliefs adults might hold about a child based on his or her sibling status alone. Ratings on 50 adjective pairs for each of three sibling status types, only, oldest, and youngest child, were assessed in relation to adult expectations, birth order, and parental status of rater. (Author/DST)

Child Temperaments, Differential Parenting, and the Sibling Relationships of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivers, Jessica Wood; Stoneman, Zolinda

2008-01-01

This study examined associations between sibling temperaments, differential parenting, and the quality of the relationships between 50 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their typically developing siblings. The temperament dimension of persistence, but not activity level or emotional intensity, was found to relate to the quality of…

Attachment States of Mind and the Quality of Young Adults' Sibling Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortuna, Keren; Roisman, Glenn I.; Haydon, Katherine C.; Groh, Ashley M.; Holland, Ashley S.

2011-01-01

This report examines young adults' states of mind regarding their early attachment experiences in relation to the observed and perceived quality of their sibling relationships. Sixty sibling pairs (18-25 years of age) were (a) administered the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985), (b) videotaped during a conflict…

Sibling Family Practices: Guidelines for Healthy Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Toni Cavanagh; Huang, Bevan Emma; Simpson, Pippa M.

2009-01-01

A questionnaire was given to 500 mental health and child welfare professionals asking for maximum acceptable ages for siblings to engage jointly in certain family practices related to hygiene, affection, and privacy. A large proportion of respondents felt it was never acceptable for siblings to take showers together (40%), kiss on the mouth (37%),…

Contradictory Aspects of Organized Youth Sport: Challenging and Fostering Sibling Relationships and Participation Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trussell, Dawn E.

2014-01-01

This article presents findings from an interpretive study that sought to understand how organized sport at the community level influences sibling relationships and interactions. The meanings of the participants' sport involvement, in relation to their siblings', was also examined using a constructivist approach to grounded theory. Nineteen youth…

Sexual Behavior and Nonsexual Deviance: A Sibling Study of Their Relationship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, David C.; And Others

1989-01-01

Two studies, one involving college students and the other high school students, found a strong relationship between relatively early sexual intimacy and nonsexual forms of deviance. Siblings were more alike than chance in deviance and in physical sexual behavior. Additionally, an association was found between one sibling's sexual intimacy with a…

The Development of Empathic Concern in Siblings: A Reciprocal Influence Model.

PubMed

Jambon, Marc; Madigan, Sheri; Plamondon, André; Daniel, Ella; Jenkins, Jennifer M

2018-02-20

This study utilized actor-partner interdependence modeling to examine the bidirectional effects of younger (M age  = 18 months) and older siblings (M age  = 48 months) on later empathy development in a large (n = 452 families), diverse (42% immigrant) Canadian sample. Controlling for parenting, demographic characteristics, sibling relationship quality, and within-child stability in empathic concern, both younger and older siblings' observed empathic concern uniquely predicted relative increases in the other's empathy over a period of 18 months. The strength of the partner effects did not differ by birth order. Sex composition moderated the younger sibling partner effect, whereas age gap moderated the older sibling partner effect. This study highlights the important role that siblings play in enhancing the development of care and concern for others. © 2018 The Authors. Child Development © 2018 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Sibling eating behaviours and differential child feeding practices reported by parents.

PubMed

Farrow, C V; Galloway, A T; Fraser, K

2009-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intra-familial relationships between parental reports of feeding practices used with siblings in the same family, and to evaluate whether differences in feeding practices are related to differences in siblings' eating behaviours. Eighty parents of two sibling children completed measures assessing their feeding practices and child eating behaviours. Parents reported using greater restrictive feeding practices with children who were fussier and desired to drink more than their sibling. Parents reported using more pressure to eat with siblings who were slower to eat, were fussier, emotionally under-ate, enjoyed food less, were less responsive to food, and were more responsive to internal satiety cues. Restriction and pressure to eat appear to be part of the non-shared environment which sibling children experience differently. These feeding practices may be used differently for children in the same family in response to child eating behaviours or other specific characteristics.

Number of Siblings During Childhood and the Likelihood of Divorce in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Bobbitt-Zeher, Donna; Downey, Douglas B.; Merry, Joseph

2016-01-01

Despite fertility decline across economically developed countries, relatively little is known about the social consequences of children being raised with fewer siblings. Much research suggests that growing up with fewer siblings is probably positive, as children tend to do better in school when sibship size is small. Less scholarship, however, has explored how growing up with few siblings influences children's ability to get along with peers and develop long-term meaningful relationships. If siblings serve as important social practice partners during childhood, individuals with few or no siblings may struggle to develop successful social lives later in adulthood. With data from the General Social Surveys 1972-2012, we explore this possibility by testing whether sibship size during childhood predicts the probability of divorce in adulthood. We find that, among those who ever marry, each additional sibling is associated with a three percent decline in the likelihood of divorce, net of covariates. PMID:27833216

Development of a Psychosocial Risk Screener for Siblings of Children With Cancer: Incorporating the Perspectives of Parents.

PubMed

Long, Kristin A; Pariseau, Emily M; Muriel, Anna C; Chu, Andrea; Kazak, Anne E; Alderfer, Melissa A

2018-04-03

Although many siblings experience distress after a child's cancer diagnosis, their psychosocial functioning is seldom assessed in clinical oncology settings. One barrier to systematic sibling screening is the lack of a validated, sibling-specific screening instrument. Thus, this study developed sibling-specific screening modules in English and Spanish for the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT), a well-validated screener of family psychosocial risk. A purposive sample of English- and Spanish-speaking parents of children with cancer (N = 29) completed cognitive interviews to provide in-depth feedback on the development of the new PAT sibling modules. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, cleaned, and analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Items were updated iteratively according to participants' feedback. Data collection continued until saturation was reached (i.e., all items were clear and valid). Two sibling modules were developed to assess siblings' psychosocial risk at diagnosis (preexisting risk factors) and several months thereafter (reactions to cancer). Most prior PAT items were retained; however, parents recommended changes to improve screening format (separately assessing each sibling within the family and expanding response options to include "sometimes"), developmental sensitivity (developing or revising items for ages 0-2, 3-4, 5-9, and 10+ years), and content (adding items related to sibling-specific social support, global assessments of sibling risk, emotional/behavioral reactions to cancer, and social ecological factors such as family and school). Psychosocial screening requires sibling-specific screening items that correspond to preexisting risk (at diagnosis) and reactions to cancer (several months after diagnosis). Validated, sibling-specific screeners will facilitate identification of siblings with elevated psychosocial risk.

Siblings' coping strategies and mental health services: a national study of siblings of persons with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Friedrich, Rose Marie; Lively, Sonja; Rubenstein, Linda M

2008-03-01

This study examined the helpfulness of coping strategies and the relative importance of mental health services in coping with schizophrenia from the perspective of siblings. This article presents selected survey data from a national study of 746 respondents that investigated the impact of schizophrenia on siblings' lives. The authors developed the Friedrich-Lively Instrument to Assess the Impact of Schizophrenia on Siblings (FLIISS), a closed-ended questionnaire that included questions about coping strategies and mental health services. Respondents identified services for the ill sibling, including symptom control, adequate housing, and long-term planning, as more important than direct services for themselves. The top-ranked coping strategies were education about schizophrenia, a supportive family, and seeing the ill sibling suffer less because symptoms were controlled. Understanding that families were not to blame for schizophrenia was the most helpful coping strategy for nearly three-fourths of siblings. Siblings had little contact with providers in the past; yet the majority of siblings wanted providers to be available to answer questions and clarify their role in future care. At the time of the study, respondents provided social support and helped with crises, but few coordinated the total care. Siblings identified multiple ways that providers can support and assist them in coping with the impact of schizophrenia. Education and support for siblings without schizophrenia and services for their ill siblings will become increasingly important for the well-being of siblings as they are faced with the responsibility of being the primary caregivers in the future.

Multi-informant assessment of siblings of youth with autism spectrum disorder: Parent-child discrepancies in at-risk classification.

PubMed

Rankin, James A; Tomeny, Theodore S; Barry, Tammy D

2017-09-01

The behavioral and emotional functioning of typically-developing (TD) siblings of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been frequently assessed in the literature; however, these assessments typically include only one informant, rarely considering differences between parent and self-reports of sibling adjustment. This study examined parent-youth reported informant discrepancies in behavioral and emotional functioning, including whether parent and youth reports yielded the same conclusions regarding TD sibling risk status. Among 113 parents and TD siblings of youth with ASD, TD siblings self-reported more overall, conduct, hyperactivity, and peer problems (compared to parent reports). Although few siblings were considered at-risk, those who were identified were not usually identified as at-risk on both informants' reports. Moreover, ASD symptoms, broader autism phenotype symptoms, parent mental health concerns, and social support from parents were all related to differences in at-risk classification between parent- and sibling self-report. This paper highlights the necessity of multi-informant reporting when considering TD sibling psychological functioning. This study helps to address gaps in the literature on assessment of emotional and behavioral functioning of TD siblings of youth with ASD. The results highlight the importance of utilizing both parent- and self-report when identifying TD siblings at-risk for maladjustment. Although few siblings were considered at-risk, those who were identified were not usually identified as such on both informants' reports, and a variety of sibling- and parent-factors were associated with differences in at-risk classification. Thus, inclusion and examination of both parent- and self-report of TD sibling psychological functioning is vital for accurately identifying numbers of TD siblings at-risk of maladjustment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Through the eyes of young sibling donors: the hematopoietic stem cell donation experience.

PubMed

D'Auria, Jennifer P; Fitzgerald, Tania M; Presler, Cammie M; Kasow, Kimberly A

2015-01-01

This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to explore how pediatric sibling donors of a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conceptualized their donation experiences. Saving my sister's (or brother's) life describes the central phenomenon identified by this purposive sample of 8 sibling donors. Five themes captured their memories: being the perfect match, stepping up, worrying about the outcome, the waiting process, and sharing a special bond. Further research surrounding changes in relational issues will provide insight into inter-sibling support and the developmental course of the sibling relationship into adulthood when intensified by a health crisis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebellar development in childhood onset schizophrenia and non-psychotic siblings

PubMed Central

Greenstein, Deanna; Lenroot, Rhoshel; Clausen, Liv; Gogtay, Nitin; Rapoport, Judith

2011-01-01

We explored regional and total volumetric cerebellar differences in probands and their unaffected full siblings relative to typically developing participants. Participants included 94 (51 males) patients diagnosed with childhood onset schizophrenia (COS), 80 related non-psychotic siblings (37 males) and 110 (64 males) typically developing participants scanned longitudinally. The sample mean age was 16.87(SD=4.7; range 6.5 to 29). We performed mixed model regressions to examine group differences in trajectory and volume. The COS group had smaller bilateral anterior lobes and anterior and total vermis volumes than controls. The COS group diverged from controls over time in total, left, right, and bilateral posterior inferior cerebellum. Siblings did not have any fixed volumetric differences relative to controls but differed from controls in developmental trajectories of total and right cerebellum, left inferior posterior, left superior posterior, and superior vermis. Results are consistent with previous COS findings and several reports of decreased cerebellar volume in adult onset schizophrenia. Sibling trajectories may represent a trait marker, although the effect size for volumetric differences in early adulthood may be small. PMID:21803550

Within-family environmental transmission of drug abuse: a Swedish national study.

PubMed

Kendler, Kenneth S; Ohlsson, Henrik; Sundquist, Kristina; Sundquist, Jan

2013-02-01

CONTEXT Drug abuse (DA) strongly runs in families. Does this result solely from genetic factors or does the family environment contribute? OBJECTIVE To determine the familial environmental contribution to the risk for DA. DESIGN Follow-up in 9 public databases (1961-2009) in siblings and spouses. SETTING Sweden. PARTICIPANTS A total of 137 199 sibling pairs and 7561 spousal pairs containing a proband with DA and matched control probands. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Drug abuse recorded in medical, legal, or pharmacy registry records. RESULTS In the best-fit model, which contained significant linear, quadratic, and cubic effects, among full sibling pairs containing a proband with DA, the relative risk for DA in the sibling declined from more than 6.0 for siblings born within 2 years of each other to less than 4.5 when born 10 years apart. Controlling for age differences in full sibling pairs, the hazard rate for DA in a sibling when the affected proband was older vs younger was 1.42 (95% CI, 1.31-1.54). In the best-fit model, which contained significant linear, quadratic, and cubic effects, among spousal pairs containing a proband with DA, the relative risk for DA in the spouse declined from more than 25.0 within 1 year of proband DA registration to 6.0 after 5 years. CONCLUSIONS Controlling for genetic effects by examining only full siblings, sibling resemblance for the risk for DA was significantly greater in pairs closer vs more distant in age. Older siblings more strongly transmitted the risk for DA to their younger siblings than vice versa. After one spouse is registered for DA, the other spouse has a large short-lived increase in DA risk. These results support strong familial environmental influences on DA at various life stages. A complete understanding of the familial transmission of DA will require knowledge of how genetic and familial environmental risk factors act and interact over development.

Children's Conceptions of Parental Authority, Friendship, and Sibling Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tisak, Marie S.; Tisak, John

1990-01-01

Investigates second, fourth, and sixth graders' reasoning about interrelationships between parental authority, friendship, and sibling relations. Children's conceptions regarding legitimacy of and obedience to parental rules prohibiting friendship vary as a function of reasons given for rules. (Author/BB)

Attachment states of mind and the quality of young adults' sibling relationships.

PubMed

Fortuna, Keren; Roisman, Glenn I; Haydon, Katherine C; Groh, Ashley M; Holland, Ashley S

2011-09-01

This report examines young adults' states of mind regarding their early attachment experiences in relation to the observed and perceived quality of their sibling relationships. Sixty sibling pairs (18-25 years of age) were (a) administered the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985), (b) videotaped during a conflict resolution task, and (c) asked to describe the quality of their relationship using the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Stocker, Lanthier, & Furman, 1997). As hypothesized, dismissing states of mind were associated with lower levels of positive and negative affect while participants attempted to resolve an area of conflict with a sibling as well as with relatively low levels of reported warmth in the relationship. In contrast-but also in line with predictions-preoccupied states of mind were associated with heightened expression of negative affect toward a brother or sister, and the siblings of highly preoccupied individuals reported more conflict in their relationships. Findings provide further support for the importance of young adults' representations of childhood attachment experiences with respect to the quality of their adult relationships. In addition, this study extends previous findings regarding the significance of dismissing versus preoccupied states of mind by demonstrating that these dimensions are differentially associated with behavioral and self-reported aspects of sibling relationship quality in early adulthood.

Resting-state cerebellar-cerebral networks are differently affected in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Chen, Jindong; Wu, Renrong; Zhang, Zhikun; Yu, Miaoyu; Xiao, Changqing; Zhao, Jingping

2015-11-26

Dysconnectivity hypothesis posits that schizophrenia is a disorder with dysconnectivity of the cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit (CCTCC). However, it remains unclear to the changes of the cerebral connectivity with the cerebellum in schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Forty-nine patients with first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients, 46 unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 healthy controls participated in the study. Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity approach was employed to analyze the data. Compared with the controls, the patients and the siblings share increased default-mode network (DMN) seed - right Crus II connectivity. The patients have decreased right dorsal attention network (DAN) seed - bilateral cerebellum 4,5 connectivity relative to the controls. By contrast, the siblings exhibit increased FC between the right DAN seed and the right cerebellum 6 and right cerebellum 4,5 compared to the controls. No other abnormal connectivities (executive control network and salience network) are observed in the patients/siblings relative to the controls. There are no correlations between abnormal cerebellar-cerebral connectivities and clinical variables. Cerebellar-cerebral connectivity of brain networks within the cerebellum are differently affected in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Increased DMN connectivity with the cerebellum may serve as potential endophenotype for schizophrenia.

Family influences on the cognitive development of profoundly deaf children: exploring the effects of socioeconomic status and siblings.

PubMed

Macaulay, Catrin E; Ford, Ruth M

2013-10-01

We evaluated the cognitive development of 48 profoundly deaf children from hearing families (born 1994-2002, mean age M = 8.0 years at time of test, none of whom had received early auditory-verbal therapy) as a function of family socioeconomic status and number of siblings. Overall, the deaf children matched a younger group of 47 hearing controls (M = 4.6 years) on verbal ability, theory of mind, and cognitive inhibition. Partial correlations (controlling for age) revealed positive relations in the hearing group between maternal education and inhibition, between number of younger siblings and references to emotions, and between number of close-in-age siblings and references to desires and false beliefs. In the deaf group, there were positive relations between household income and memory span, between maternal education and references to false beliefs, and between number of younger siblings and nonverbal ability. In contrast, deaf children with a greater number of older siblings aged ≤12 years showed inferior memory span, inhibition, belief understanding, picture-sequencing accuracy, and mental-state language, suggesting that they failed to compete successfully with older siblings for their parents' attention and material resources. We consider the implications of the findings for understanding birth-order effects on deaf and language-impaired children.

Resting-state cerebellar-cerebral networks are differently affected in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings

PubMed Central

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Chen, Jindong; Wu, Renrong; Zhang, Zhikun; Yu, Miaoyu; Xiao, Changqing; Zhao, Jingping

2015-01-01

Dysconnectivity hypothesis posits that schizophrenia is a disorder with dysconnectivity of the cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit (CCTCC). However, it remains unclear to the changes of the cerebral connectivity with the cerebellum in schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Forty-nine patients with first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients, 46 unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 healthy controls participated in the study. Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity approach was employed to analyze the data. Compared with the controls, the patients and the siblings share increased default-mode network (DMN) seed – right Crus II connectivity. The patients have decreased right dorsal attention network (DAN) seed – bilateral cerebellum 4,5 connectivity relative to the controls. By contrast, the siblings exhibit increased FC between the right DAN seed and the right cerebellum 6 and right cerebellum 4,5 compared to the controls. No other abnormal connectivities (executive control network and salience network) are observed in the patients/siblings relative to the controls. There are no correlations between abnormal cerebellar-cerebral connectivities and clinical variables. Cerebellar-cerebral connectivity of brain networks within the cerebellum are differently affected in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Increased DMN connectivity with the cerebellum may serve as potential endophenotype for schizophrenia. PMID:26608842

Fitness Costs Predict Inbreeding Aversion Irrespective of Self-Involvement: Support for Hypotheses Derived from Evolutionary Theory

PubMed Central

Antfolk, Jan; Lieberman, Debra; Santtila, Pekka

2012-01-01

It is expected that in humans, the lowered fitness of inbred offspring has produced a sexual aversion between close relatives. Generally, the strength of this aversion depends on the degree of relatedness between two individuals, with closer relatives inciting greater aversion than more distant relatives. Individuals are also expected to oppose acts of inbreeding that do not include the self, as inbreeding between two individuals posits fitness costs not only to the individuals involved in the sexual act, but also to their biological relatives. Thus, the strength of inbreeding aversion should be predicted by the fitness costs an inbred child posits to a given individual, irrespective of this individual’s actual involvement in the sexual act. To test this prediction, we obtained information about the family structures of 663 participants, who reported the number of same-sex siblings, opposite-sex siblings, opposite-sex half siblings and opposite-sex cousins. Each participant was presented with three different types of inbreeding scenarios: 1) Participant descriptions, in which participants themselves were described as having sex with an actual opposite-sex relative (sibling, half sibling, or cousin); 2) Related third-party descriptions, in which participants’ actual same-sex siblings were described as having sex with their actual opposite-sex relatives; 3) Unrelated third-party descriptions, in which individuals of the same sex as the participants but unrelated to them were described as having sex with opposite-sex relatives. Participants rated each description on the strength of sexual aversion (i.e., disgust-reaction). We found that unrelated third-party descriptions elicited less disgust than related third-party and participant descriptions. Related third-party and participant descriptions elicited similar levels of disgust suggesting that the strength of inbreeding aversion is predicted by inclusive fitness costs. Further, in the related and unrelated conditions alike, the strength of inbreeding aversion was positively associated with the degree of relatedness between those described in the descriptions. PMID:23209792

Sibling composition, executive function, and children's thinking about mental diversity.

PubMed

Kennedy, Katie; Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen; Sayfan, Liat

2015-04-01

Prior investigations of relations between sibling composition and theory of mind have focused almost exclusively on false belief understanding in children 6 years of age and younger. The current work expands previous research by examining whether sibling composition predicts 4- to 11-year-olds' (N=192) more advanced mental state reasoning on interpretive theory of mind tasks. Even when controlling for age and executive function, children with a greater number of older siblings or with more same-sex siblings demonstrated stronger knowledge in both their predictions and explanations that people with different past experiences can have diverse interpretations of ambiguous stimuli. These data provide some of the first documentation of sibling constellations that predict individual differences in theory of mind during middle childhood. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Siblings' Power and Influence in Polyadic Family Conflict During Early Childhood.

PubMed

Della Porta, Sandra; Howe, Nina

2017-06-01

This study examined sibling behavior during polyadic family conflicts (involving three or more family members) by identifying operational conflict elements (i.e., roles, topic), power strategies, effective influence of power, and social domain argumentation. Polyadic conflict sequences (n = 210) were identified in 35/39 families with two siblings (aged 4 and 6) and their parents observed at home. The dominant conflict topic, siblings' use of power and power strategy executed in relation to social domain argumentation, revealed unique qualities of conflict in the polyadic family context; effective use of power strategies to facilitate favorable outcomes differed by sibling birth order. Our account presents a nuanced view of the intricacies of polyadic family conflict, which provides unique opportunities for children's learning and socialization by siblings and parents. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceived Parenting Styles Fail to Mediate Between Anxiety and Attachment Styles in Adult Siblings of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.

PubMed

O'Neill, Linda P; Murray, Lindsay E

2016-09-01

Adult siblings of individuals with developmental disabilities often experience higher levels of anxiety than individuals in the general population. The present study tested whether perceived parenting could mediate the relationship between attachment styles and anxiety in the sibling group compared to a control group. Little association was found between perceived parenting and attachment styles or anxiety for the siblings but there were robust and expected findings for the control. Adult attachment-related-anxiety was a significant unique predictor of anxiety in the sibling group but there was no mediational role for perceived parenting. Conversely, the majority of parenting styles significantly mediated the relationship between attachment and anxiety in the control. Implications for the atypical findings in the sibling group are discussed.

Siblings of children with complex care needs: their perspectives and experiences of participating in everyday life.

PubMed

Woodgate, R L; Edwards, M; Ripat, J D; Rempel, G; Johnson, S F

2016-07-01

Participating in everyday life is essential to the healthy development and emotional well-being of children. However, little is known about siblings of children with complex care needs (CCN), and their perspectives and experiences of participating in everyday life. The aim of this paper is to present research findings that add to our understanding of how siblings of children with CCN view and experience participation in everyday life. To arrive at a detailed and accurate understanding of the siblings' perspectives and experiences, we used the qualitative research design of ethnography. Sixteen siblings (seven brothers, nine sisters) of children with CCN were recruited. The siblings ranged in age between 7 and 25 years, with a mean age of 14 years. All siblings took part in opened-ended interviews and completed ecomaps to describe how they participate. Five siblings also took part in the photovoice method. Analysis involved several iterative steps, congruent with ethnography. Four main themes emerged as follows: (1) participation is about being part of a group; (2) it feels good; (3) I love my sibling but…; and (4) promoting participation. Siblings of children with CCN identified challenges to participation and also described ways that they participate that relate to the care of their sibling. Siblings prioritized the relationship with their sisters and brothers with CCN in their life, and a great deal of their participation was chosen with their sibling in mind. Sibling-to-sibling relationships were distinct and meaningful and, as a result, participation was always done mindfully and with the family needs at the forefront. Nonetheless, clinicians caring for children with CCN must keep in mind the challenges that siblings of children with CCN experience and provide strategies to siblings that will help to promote their participation in everyday life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Family, Peer, and Pubertal Determinants of Dating Involvement Among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Low, Sabina; Shortt, Joann Wu

2017-01-01

This study examines the influence of family, peer, and biological contributors to dating involvement among early adolescents (11–14 years of age; n = 244). Further, we assess how parental monitoring may be modified by pubertal maturation and older sibling risky behavior. Data on delinquent peer affiliation, pubertal maturation, parental monitoring, older sibling risky behavior, and dating involvement were gathered through observations and surveys from adolescents, mothers, older siblings, and teachers. Results indicate that lower levels of parental monitoring and higher levels of older sibling risky behavior were related to adolescents’ dating involvement through delinquent peer affiliation. Pubertal maturation was directly related to dating involvement for early daters. Findings emphasize the value of examining social and biological factors, in concert, over time. PMID:28498528

Birth Order, Sibling IQ Differences, and Family Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfouts, Jane H.

The differential impact of birth order and IQ on sibling roles were examined with particular interest focused on achievement outcomes. Subjects were a stratified sample of 37 pairs of near-in-age siblings, all within the normal range in personality and IQ, but differing significantly in scores on the Slosson IQ Test. Results indicate that when the…

The Drift toward Problem Behavior during the Transition to Adolescence: The Contributions of Youth Disclosure, Parenting, and Older Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Sabina; Snyder, James; Shortt, Joann Wu

2012-01-01

Prospective associations of mothers' parenting processes, youth disclosure, and youth problem behavior were examined in a longitudinal design following 244 adolescent sibling dyads over a 3-year period. For both siblings, authoritative parenting was positively associated with youth disclosure and was negatively related to problem behavior, and…

Trajectories of Antisocial Behaviour towards Siblings Predict Antisocial Behaviour towards Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensor, Rosie; Marks, Alex; Jacobs, Lorna; Hughes, Claire

2010-01-01

Background: Young siblings' antisocial behaviour is common yet its impact has received relatively little research attention. Methods: We examined trajectories of antisocial behaviour for a socially diverse sample (n = 99, 58 boys and 41 girls) who were filmed with their older siblings (52 boys and 47 girls) at ages 3 and 6 and with unfamiliar…

A Study on Sibling Relationships, Life Satisfaction and Loneliness Level of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soysal, F. Selda Öz

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between sibling relationships, life satisfaction, and the loneliness level of adolescents with regard to gender, order of birth, and sibling dyads. The study group consisted of 382 (209 female, 173 male) students in total, who were studying at high schools (regular high school, vocational high…

The Referee Role and Norms of Equity: A Contribution Toward a Theory of Sibling Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ihinger, Marilyn

1975-01-01

A theory relates amount of conflict in the sibling relationship to norms of distributive justice, or equity, within the family. The theory is limited to the parental referee role, and the consistency and congruity with which this role is enacted is hypothesized to directly influence the degree of sibling conflict. (Author)

Colonoscopy uptake for high-risk individuals with a family history of colorectal neoplasia: A multicenter, randomized trial of tailored counseling versus standard information.

PubMed

Ingrand, Isabelle; Defossez, Gautier; Richer, Jean-Pierre; Tougeron, David; Palierne, Nicolas; Letard, Jean-Christophe; Beauchant, Michel; Ingrand, Pierre

2016-08-01

Colonoscopic screening is recommended for first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) or colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAP) before the age of 60 years. This has the potential to reduce CRC-related morbidity and mortality, but uptake is currently inadequate. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of standard information versus a nurse-led tailored intervention designed to promote uptake of colonoscopy screening by siblings of CRC or CAP patients. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Digestive surgeons and gastroenterologists recruited index patients who developed CRC or CAP before the age of 60 years. All index patients received standard screening information for their siblings, in keeping with current guidelines. Centrally computerized randomization of index patients resulted in allocating all their siblings to the same group, intervention or control. The tailored intervention targeted the index patient first, to help them convey information to their siblings. The nurse then provided the siblings with tailored information based on their answers to a self-questionnaire which explored health behaviors, derived from psychosocial models of prevention. Then the siblings were given a personalized information leaflet to hand to their regular physician. The primary endpoint was the rate of documented colonoscopy performed in siblings within 1 year after diagnosis of the index patient. The intent-to-treat analysis included siblings who refused to participate in the study. Statistical analysis was adjusted for intrafamilial correlation. A total of 304 siblings of 125 index patients were included: 160 in the intervention group and 144 in the control group. The rate of colonoscopy uptake among siblings was 56.3% in the intervention group and 35.4% in the control group (P = 0.0027). The respective rates after exclusion of refusals were 69.2% and 37.0% (P < 0.0001). More lesions were detected in the intervention group (1 invasive cancer and 11 advanced adenomas vs 5 advanced adenomas; P = 0.022). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a nurse-led tailored intervention designed to promote colonoscopy screening uptake by siblings of patients diagnosed with CRC or CAP before age 60 years. Such tailored interventions that also involve physicians should help to reduce CRC-related mortality.

School Experiences of Siblings of Children with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Gan, Lucy L; Lum, Alistair; Wakefield, Claire E; Nandakumar, Beeshman; Fardell, Joanna E

Siblings of children with chronic illness have unique experiences that can affect their school functioning, such that they may miss ongoing periods of school, experience difficulties with schoolwork or experience changes in their peer and teacher interactions. This review provides an overview of these siblings' school experiences. Six databases (Medline, PsychINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, Embase and The Cochrane Library) were systematically searched for studies examining the school experiences and peer relationships of siblings of children with chronic illness, as well as school-based interventions for these siblings. Studies were included if they were published in or after 2000 and were published in English. We identified 2137 articles upon initial search. From these, we identified 28 eligible studies examining the school experiences of >1470 siblings of children with chronic illness. Three key themes were identified throughout the reviewed articles. The literature described 1) the psychological impact on siblings at school; 2) decreases in school attendance and academic functioning, and; 3) changes or perceived differences in peer and teacher interactions. Siblings value teacher and peer support, and this support may contribute to better sibling school functioning. Many siblings are socially resilient, yet overlooked, members of the family who may present with psychological, academic and peer related difficulties at school following diagnosis of a brother or sister with chronic illness. Future research is needed to further delineate the sibling school experience to better facilitate the development of targeted sibling support interventions within the school environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Grandparents and siblings of children with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Ravindran, Vinitha Paul; Rempel, Gwen R

2011-01-01

This paper is a report of a study of the process of grandparent involvement with siblings of preschool children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. An increasing number of grandparents are involved in parental or near-parental roles with their grandchildren. Most research concerns grandparent involvement due to parental issues (e.g. teenage pregnancy, mental illness, addiction). Some research addresses grandparent involvement when their grandchild is ill. Grandparents''double concern' for both their adult children and their ill grandchildren is reported in the literature. In this paper, we describe a third concern for grandparents: the sibling(s) of their sick grandchild. Individual interviews were conducted in 2007 with 15 grandparents of six preschool children with complex congenital heart disease. Open and selective coding, categorization, and theoretical memoing were used to analyse the data. 'Stepping in as needed' and 'safeguarding relationships' were identified as two core categories related to grandparenting siblings of children with heart disease. Grandparents stepped into a parent role with toddler and preschool-aged siblings by attending to their daily care routines, recreational and play times, and relational needs while parents were occupied with their sick and hospitalized infants. Grandparents' concerted efforts to sustain parent-child and child-sibling relationships were also striking. Our findings extend the concept of 'double concern' to 'triple concern', and direct a research and practice focus towards the unexplored roles and needs of grandparents and siblings in families whose young children have life-threatening illnesses. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Siblings versus parents and friends: longitudinal linkages to adolescent externalizing problems.

PubMed

Defoe, Ivy N; Keijsers, Loes; Hawk, Skyler T; Branje, Susan; Dubas, Judith Semon; Buist, Kirsten; Frijns, Tom; van Aken, Marcel A G; Koot, Hans M; van Lier, Pol A C; Meeus, Wim

2013-08-01

It is well documented that friends' externalizing problems and negative parent-child interactions predict externalizing problems in adolescence, but relatively little is known about the role of siblings. This four-wave, multi-informant study investigated linkages of siblings' externalizing problems and sibling-adolescent negative interactions on adolescents' externalizing problems, while examining and controlling for similar linkages with friends and parents. Questionnaire data on externalizing problems and negative interactions were annually collected from 497 Dutch adolescents (M = 13.03 years, SD = 0.52, at baseline), as well as their siblings, mothers, fathers, and friends. Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed modest unique longitudinal paths from sibling externalizing problems to adolescent externalizing problems, for male and female adolescents, and for same-sex and mixed-sex sibling dyads, but only from older to younger siblings. Moreover, these paths were above and beyond significant paths from mother-adolescent negative interaction and friend externalizing problems to adolescent externalizing problems, 1 year later. No cross-lagged paths existed between sibling-adolescent negative interaction and adolescent externalizing problems. Taken together, it appears that especially older sibling externalizing problems may be a unique social risk factor for adolescent externalizing problems, equal in strength to significant parents' and friends' risk factors. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Sibling relationships of children with autistic, mentally retarded, and nonhandicapped brothers and sisters.

PubMed

McHale, S M; Sloan, J; Simeonsson, R J

1986-12-01

The subjects were 90 children between 6 and 15 years of age, 30 with autistic, 30 with mentally retarded, and 30 with nonhandicapped brothers or sisters. The children were questioned about their sibling relationships in an open-ended interview, and, in the case of children with handicapped siblings, they also responded to questions about particular problems they faced in regard to their brothers or sisters. In addition, mothers filled out a behavior rating scale in which they described the positive and negative aspects of their children's behavior toward the sibling. In general, children and mothers rated the sibling relationships positively. Group comparisons indicated that children with autistic and mentally retarded siblings did not differ on any self-report measures. Children with nonhandicapped siblings reported that their family relations were slightly more cohesive but otherwise did not differ in terms of their self-reports from children with handicapped siblings. Mothers of nonhandicapped children, however, rated the sibling relationships more negatively than did mothers of handicapped children. Further analyses revealed that status variables (age, gender, family size) were not as highly correlated with the quality of sibling relationships with handicapped children as were specific problem areas (e.g., perceptions of parental favoritism, coping ability, concerns about the handicapped child's future).

Unemployment among adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study.

PubMed

Kirchhoff, Anne C; Leisenring, Wendy; Krull, Kevin R; Ness, Kirsten K; Friedman, Debra L; Armstrong, Gregory T; Stovall, Marilyn; Park, Elyse R; Oeffinger, Kevin C; Hudson, Melissa M; Robison, Leslie L; Wickizer, Thomas

2010-11-01

Adult childhood cancer survivors report high levels of unemployment, although it is unknown whether this is because of health or employability limitations. We examined 2 employment outcomes from 2003 in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS): (1) health-related unemployment and (2) unemployed but seeking work. We compared survivors with a nearest-age CCSS sibling cohort and examined demographic and treatment-related risk groups for each outcome. We studied 6339 survivors and 1967 siblings ≥25 years of age excluding those unemployed by choice. Multivariable generalized linear models evaluated whether survivors were more likely to be unemployed than siblings and whether certain survivors were at a higher risk for unemployment. Survivors (10.4%) reported health-related unemployment more often than siblings (1.8%; Relative Risk [RR], 6.07; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 4.32-8.53). Survivors (5.7%) were more likely to report being unemployed but seeking work than siblings (2.7%; RR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.43-2.54). Health-related unemployment was more common in female survivors than males (Odds Ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.43-2.08). Cranial radiotherapy doses ≥25 Gy were associated with higher odds of unemployment (health-related: OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.54-4.74; seeking work: OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.15-2.71). Unemployed survivors reported higher levels of poor physical functioning than employed survivors, and had lower education and income and were more likely to be publicly insured than unemployed siblings. Childhood cancer survivors have higher levels of unemployment because of health or being between jobs. High-risk survivors may need vocational assistance.

Super Mario brothers and sisters: Associations between coplaying video games and sibling conflict and affection.

PubMed

Coyne, Sarah M; Jensen, Alexander C; Smith, Nathan J; Erickson, Daniel H

2016-02-01

Video games can be played in many different contexts. This study examined associations between coplaying video games between siblings and levels of affection and conflict in the relationship. Participants were 508 adolescents (M age = 16.31 years of age, SD = 1.08) who completed questionnaires on video game use and sibling relationships. Participants were recruited from a large Northwestern city and a moderate city in the Mountain West of the United States. Video games played between siblings were coded by an independent sample to assess levels of physical aggression and prosocial behavior in each game. Playing video games with a sibling was associated with higher levels of sibling affection for both boys and girls, but higher levels of conflict for boys only. Playing a violent video game with a brother was associated with lower levels of conflict in the sibling relationship, whereas playing a prosocial video game was not related to any sibling outcome. The value of video games in sibling relationships will be discussed, with a focus on the type of game and the sex of the adolescent. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mothers' perceptions of sibling adjustment and family life in childhood chronic illness.

PubMed

Gallo, A M; Breitmayer, B J; Knafl, K A; Zoeller, L H

1993-10-01

Researchers who study the effects of chronic illness on well siblings have generally focused on individual characteristics and their relationships with psychological adjustment. More recently, researchers suggest that sibling adjustment can be best understood within the context of the family. The purpose of this study was to examine variations in sibling behavioral adjustment in relation to mothers' perceptions of the illness experience and family life. Based on mothers' ratings on the behavior problem scale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), five siblings considered poorly adjusted and five very well-adjusted siblings were compared with respect to mothers' reports of individual family member's response to illness, illness management, parenting philosophy, presence of other stressors, availability of social supports, and impact of illness on family members and family life. Two major differences were found between mothers who rated healthy siblings either poorly or very well adjusted: (a) effects of illness on the healthy sibling, the ill child, and the marital relationship and (b) perceived controllability of the chronic illness. Devising ways of helping mothers feel confident in managing their child's illness is integral to creating an environment that promotes optimal development of their ill child and the child's siblings.

Nine-year follow-up of girls with anorexia nervosa and their siblings: retrospective perceptions of parental bonding and the influence of illness on their everyday life.

PubMed

Halvorsen, Inger; Rø, Øyvind; Heyerdahl, Sonja

2013-01-01

Few previous anorexia nervosa (AN) studies include siblings. To investigate if adolescents with AN retrospectively perceived their parents as less caring and more controlling than their siblings, whether perceived parenting was related to psychological problems, and how AN had influenced their everyday lives. Forty-six former patients (mean age 23.1 years) and 21 siblings participated in the study by completing the Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) and a questionnaire on the influence of AN during the acute phase. Former patients and their siblings had similar PBI results. Better adaptive functioning and lower levels of internalising psychological problems were correlated with higher ratings of parental care in both patients and siblings. Both patients and siblings reported that the illness had created conflict and caused concern, but had also provided valuable experiences. Perceived parenting was associated with psychological problems in young adulthood but not with eating disorders. Our PBI results for both former patients and siblings were quite similar to non-clinical control groups. Health personnel treating adolescent AN should be aware of siblings' perspectives and needs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Siblings' experiences of having a brother or sister with autism and mental retardation: a case study of 14 siblings from five families.

PubMed

Benderix, Ylva; Sivberg, Bengt

2007-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe the present and past experiences of 14 siblings from five families in terms of having a brother or sister with autism and mental retardation. Personal interviews were conducted with the siblings before their brothers or sisters were moved to a newly opened group home. Qualitative content analysis was used for the analysis of the transcribed texts. The analysis resulted in seven content categories: precocious responsibility, feeling sorry, exposed to frightening behavior, empathetic feelings, hoping that a group home will be a relief, physical violence made siblings feel unsafe and anxious, and relations with friends were affected negatively. The conclusion is that these siblings' experiences revealed stressful life conditions. Counseling for the family and for siblings is recommended to help them deal with their feelings and problems. For the siblings in these five families, a group home was a relevant alternative as a temporary or permanent placement for the child with autism and mental retardation.

Well sibling psychological adjustment to chronic physical disorder in a sibling: how important is maternal awareness of their illness attitudes and perceptions?

PubMed

Taylor; Fuggle, P; Charman, T

2001-10-01

The psychological adjustment of healthy siblings was investigated in relation to their attitudes and perceptions about their brother's or sister's chronic physical disorder, to their mothers' awareness of these attitudes and perceptions, and to three other maternal factors (maternal distress, maternal social support, and amount of care demanded by the physical disorder). Sixty-two well siblings and mothers of children with a range of chronic physical disorders completed standardised questionnaires. The majority of siblings did not appear to have adjustment problems, although the sample had slightly increased rates of emotional symptoms compared to the general population. Mothers rated well siblings as having more negative attitudes and perceptions about the physical disorder than reported by siblings themselves. A multiple regression analysis indicated that better sibling adjustment was associated with higher maternal awareness of their attitudes and perceptions. These findings support Varni and Wallander's (1998) model that emphasises the role of relationship and attitude variables in child adjustment to chronic physical disorder. The implications of these findings for clinical practice are discussed.

Similarities and Differences in Adolescent Siblings’ Alcohol-Related Attitudes, Use, and Delinquency: Evidence for Convergent and Divergent Influence Processes

PubMed Central

Whiteman, Shawn D.; Jensen, Alexander C.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

2013-01-01

A growing body of research indicates that siblings influence each other’s risky and deviant behaviors during adolescence. Guided by research and theory on sibling similarities and differences, this study examined the operation and implications of three different influence processes--social learning, shared friends, and sibling differentiation--during adolescence. Participants included one parent and two adolescent siblings (earlier born age: M = 17.17 years, SD = 0.94; later born age: M = 14.52 years, SD = 1.27) from 326 families. Data were collected via telephone interviews. Using reports from both older and younger siblings, two-stage cluster analyses revealed three influence profiles: mutual modeling and shared friends, younger sibling admiration, and differentiation. Additional analyses revealed that mutual modeling and shared friends as well as younger sibling admiration were linked to similarities in brothers’ and sisters’ health-risk behaviors and attitudes, whereas differentiation processes were associated with divergence in siblings’ characteristics. The discussion focuses on refining the study of sibling influence, with particular attention paid to the operation and implications of both convergent and divergent influence processes. PMID:23765197

Age-related macular degeneration: the importance of family history as a risk factor.

PubMed

Shahid, Humma; Khan, Jane C; Cipriani, Valentina; Sepp, Tiina; Matharu, Baljinder K; Bunce, Catey; Harding, Simon P; Clayton, David G; Moore, Anthony T; Yates, John R W

2012-03-01

Family history is considered a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). With the advent of effective therapy for the disease, the importance of family history merits further investigation. This study quantifies the risk associated with family history, first, by a case-control study of reported family history and, second, by examining the siblings of AMD cases. The authors recruited cases with advanced AMD, spouses and siblings. All subjects were carefully phenotyped. Clinical findings in the siblings were compared with spouses. Information about family history was collected. The ORs for reported family history of AMD were calculated. Analyses were adjusted for age, smoking and genotype. 495 AMD cases, 259 spouses and 171 siblings were recruited. The OR for AMD was 27.8 (CI 3.8 to 203.0; p=0.001) with a reported family history of an affected parent and 12.0 (CI 3.7 to 38.6; p<0.0001) with a history of an affected sibling. ORs adjusted for age and smoking were higher. Examination of siblings confirmed their increased risk with 23% affected by AMD and an OR of 10.8 (4.5 to 25.8; p<0.0001). Adjusting for age increased the OR to 16.1 (6.2 to 41.8). The risk of AMD is greatly increased by having an affected first-degree relative. Those at risk need to be made aware of this and AMD patients should advise siblings and children to seek prompt ophthalmological advice if they develop visual symptoms of distortion or reduced vision.

Siblings' premarital childbearing and the timing of first sex in three major cities of Cote d'Ivoire.

PubMed

Diop-Sidibe, Nafissatou

2005-06-01

The association between youths' sexual and reproductive attitudes and behaviors and those of their peers and parents has been documented; however, information on siblings' influence is scarce, especially for developing countries. Data on 1,395 female and 1,242 male survey respondents aged 15-24 from three cities in Côte d'Ivoire were analyzed. Life-table analysis was conducted to examine respondents' probability of remaining sexually inexperienced according to siblings' history of premarital childbearing. Cox multivariate regressions were used to estimate respondents' relative risks of sexual debut by age 17 and by age 24. At any age between 15 and 24 years, the life-table probability of remaining sexually inexperienced was typically lower among persons who had at least one sibling with a premarital birth than among those who had no such sibling. In general, among those with at least one sibling who had had a premarital birth, the probability was lower if the sibling or siblings and the respondent were of the same gender rather than opposite genders, and the probability was lowest among those who had a brother and a sister with a history of premarital childbearing. In the multivariate analysis for males, having one or more brothers only, or having at least one brother and at least one sister, with a history of premarital childbearing was associated with increased relative risks of being sexually experienced by ages 17 and 24. No such association was found for females. Programs that seek to reduce premarital sexual activity among young people should develop strategies that take into account the potential influence of siblings.

Illnesses in siblings of US patients with bipolar disorder relate to multigenerational family history and patients severity of illness.

PubMed

Post, Robert M; Altshuler, Lori L; Kupka, Ralph; McElroy, Susan L; Frye, Mark A; Rowe, Michael; Grunze, Heinz; Suppes, Trisha; Keck, Paul E; Nolen, Willem A

2017-01-01

Patients with bipolar disorder from the US have more early-onset illness and a greater familial loading for psychiatric problems than those from the Netherlands or Germany (abbreviated here as Europe). We hypothesized that these regional differences in illness burden would extend to the patients siblings. Outpatients with bipolar disorder gave consent for participation in a treatment outcome network and for filling out detailed questionnaires. This included a family history of unipolar depression, bipolar disorder, suicide attempt, alcohol abuse/dependence, drug abuse/dependence, and "other" illness elicited for the patients' grandparents, parents, spouses, offspring, and siblings. Problems in the siblings were examined as a function of parental and grandparental problems and the patients' adverse illness characteristics or poor prognosis factors (PPFs). Each problem in the siblings was significantly (p<0.001) more prevalent in those from the US than in those from Europe. In the US, problems in the parents and grandparents were almost uniformly associated with the same problems in the siblings, and sibling problems were related to the number of PPFs observed in the patients. Family history was based on patient report. Increased familial loading for psychiatric problems extends through 4 generations of patients with bipolar disorder from the US compared to Europe, and appears to "breed true" into the siblings of the patients. In addition to early onset, a variety of PPFs are associated with the burden of psychiatric problems in the patients' siblings and offspring. Greater attention to the multigenerational prevalence of illness in patients from the US is indicated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Economic Strain on Adolescent Delinquency: A Microsocial Process Model

PubMed Central

Low, Sabina; Sinclair, Ryan; Shortt, Joann Wu

2013-01-01

The current study examines the role of economic strain as a moderator of the microsocial processes influencing younger siblings’ delinquency (externalizing behavior and substance use) in a longitudinal design. The younger siblings (122 younger brothers and 122 younger sisters) were from 244 families with same-sex biological siblings. Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine a process model whereby mothers’ harsh/inconsistent parenting and older sibling delinquency influence younger siblings’ delinquent behavior via sibling aggression and delinquent peer affiliation. Findings suggest that indirect mechanisms vary as a function of economic strain, with sibling aggression having a stronger, more detrimental effect on adolescent delinquency in economically strained families. Data suggest that familial economic conditions contextualize the relative roles of parenting, sibling, and peer processes in the transmission of risk to adolescent delinquency. PMID:22709262

Relatives as spouses: preferences and opportunities for kin marriage in a Western society.

PubMed

Bras, Hilde; Van Poppel, Frans; Mandemakers, Kees

2009-01-01

This article investigates the determinants of kin marriage on the basis of a large-scale database covering a major rural part of The Netherlands during the period 1840-1922. We studied three types of kin marriage: first cousin marriage, deceased spouse's sibling marriage, and sibling set exchange marriage. Almost 2% of all marriages were between first cousins, 0.85% concerned the sibling of a former spouse, while 4.14% were sibling set exchange marriages. While the first two types generally declined across the study period, sibling set exchange marriage reached a high point of almost 5% between 1890 and 1900. We found evidence for three mechanisms explaining the choice for relatives as spouses, centering both on preferences and on opportunities for kin marriage. Among the higher and middle strata and among farmers, kin marriages were commonly practiced and played an important role in the process of social class formation in the late nineteenth century. An increased choice for cousin marriage as a means of enculturation was observed among orthodox Protestants in the Bible Belt area of The Netherlands. Finally, all studied types of kin marriage took place more often in the relatively isolated, inland provinces of The Netherlands. Sibling set exchange marriages were a consequence of the enlarged supply of same-generation kin as a result of the demographic transition.

"The teaching and the enjoyment and being together...": Sibling Teaching in the Family of a Puerto Rican Kindergartner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volk, Dinah

1999-01-01

Analyzed strategies used by older siblings to teach school-related knowledge and skills to a kindergartner in a Puerto Rican home, comparing these strategies to those used by the child's bilingual kindergarten teacher. Found that siblings taught within a context of learning and togetherness established by the parents and grounded in Latino…

The Relative Contribution of Sibling Deviance and Peer Deviance in the Prediction of Substance Use across Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stormshak, Elizabeth A.; Comeau, Colleen A.; Shepard, Stephanie A.

2004-01-01

This study investigated the quality of sibling relationships and sibling deviancy in a sample of children at-risk for substance use and antisocial behavior. Based on a history of empirical and theoretical models suggesting strong associations between children's development in the context of relationships and the emergence of delinquency and drug…

Cooperation and Conversations about the Mind: A Study of Individual Differences in 2-Year-Olds and Their Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Claire; Fujisawa, Keiko K.; Ensor, Rosie; Lecce, Serena; Marfleet, Rachel

2006-01-01

Sibling relationships appear important in fostering young children's growing theory-of-mind skills, but the quality of sibling interactions has rarely been investigated directly in relation to children's mental-state awareness (e.g. as indexed by talk about perceptions, desires, feelings, cognitions, i.e. inner state talk; IST). This study…

Consequences of sibling rivalry vary across life in a passerine bird.

PubMed

Bebbington, Kat; Kingma, Sjouke A; Fairfield, Eleanor A; Spurgin, Lewis G; Komdeur, Jan; Richardson, David S

2017-01-01

Many studies have assessed the costs of sibling rivalry in systems where offspring always have competitors, but conclusions about sibling rivalry in these species are restricted to interpreting the cost of changes in the relative level of competition and are often complicated by the expression of potentially costly rivalry related traits. Additionally, the majority of studies focus on early-life sibling rivalry, but the costs of competition can also affect later-life performance. We test a suite of hypothesized immediate (early-life body mass, telomere length, and survival) and delayed (adult reproductive potential and lifespan) costs of sibling rivalry for offspring of differing competitive ability in Seychelles warblers, where most offspring are raised singly and hence competitor success can be compared to a competition-free scenario. Compared to those raised alone, all competing nestlings had lower body mass and weaker competitors experienced reduced survival. However, the stronger competitors appeared to have longer adult breeding tenures and lifespan than those raised alone. We propose that comparisons with competition-free groups, as well as detailed fitness measures across entire lifetimes, are needed to understand the evolution of sibling rivalry and thus individual reproductive strategy in wild systems.

Consequences of sibling rivalry vary across life in a passerine bird

PubMed Central

Kingma, Sjouke A.; Fairfield, Eleanor A.; Spurgin, Lewis G.; Komdeur, Jan; Richardson, David S.

2017-01-01

Abstract Many studies have assessed the costs of sibling rivalry in systems where offspring always have competitors, but conclusions about sibling rivalry in these species are restricted to interpreting the cost of changes in the relative level of competition and are often complicated by the expression of potentially costly rivalry related traits. Additionally, the majority of studies focus on early-life sibling rivalry, but the costs of competition can also affect later-life performance. We test a suite of hypothesized immediate (early-life body mass, telomere length, and survival) and delayed (adult reproductive potential and lifespan) costs of sibling rivalry for offspring of differing competitive ability in Seychelles warblers, where most offspring are raised singly and hence competitor success can be compared to a competition-free scenario. Compared to those raised alone, all competing nestlings had lower body mass and weaker competitors experienced reduced survival. However, the stronger competitors appeared to have longer adult breeding tenures and lifespan than those raised alone. We propose that comparisons with competition-free groups, as well as detailed fitness measures across entire lifetimes, are needed to understand the evolution of sibling rivalry and thus individual reproductive strategy in wild systems. PMID:29622918

Self-reported stress among adolescent siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

PubMed

Shivers, Carolyn M; McGregor, Casey; Hough, Ashlea

2017-11-01

Despite the prevalence of studies showing increased stress among mothers of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, few studies have examined general stress among typically developing siblings. This study used an online survey to compare the levels of self-reported stress between adolescent siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome. Sibling of individuals with autism reported significantly more overall stress than did siblings of individuals with Down syndrome, as well as more stress specifically attributed to the brother/sister with autism. The two groups did not differ on perceived social support from family and friends. In linear regression models, the disability group (autism vs Down syndrome) was significantly related to sibling stress above and beyond target child behavior problems, perceived social support, and demographic factors. These results help shed light on the daily experiences of adolescent siblings of individuals with autism and call for more research into potential interventions to address increased stress levels.

EXPLORING PARENT-SIBLING COMMUNICATION IN FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

PubMed Central

Graff, J. Carolyn; Hankins, Jane S.; Hardy, Belinda T.; Hall, Heather R.; Roberts, Ruth J.; Neely-Barnes, Susan L.

2011-01-01

Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of children with sickle cell disease to explore parent-sibling communication about sickle cell disease. Communication was influenced by attributes and behaviors of the parent, the child with sickle cell disease, and the sibling; extended family, neighbors, friends, and church members or social networks; and available, accessible resources related to the child’s health, child’s school, and parent employment. Outcomes that influenced and were influenced by factors within and outside the parent-sibling dyad and nuclear family included parent satisfaction, parent roles, family intactness, and status attainment. These findings support previous research with African American families and expand our views of the importance of educating parents, family members, and others about sickle cell disease. The findings suggest a need to explore sibling perception of this communication, parent and sibling perception of the impact of frequent hospitalizations and clinic visits on the sibling and family, and variations within families of children with sickle cell disease. PMID:20384476

Response to 'A relational approach to Saviour Siblings?' by Selgelid.

PubMed

Taylor-Sands, Michelle

2016-10-01

In his concise argument, 'A relational approach to saviour siblings?', Selgelid reiterates some of the arguments raised in the author meets critics discussion of my book, Saviour Siblings In this response, I highlight an important misunderstanding in one of the arguments put forward by Selgelid, which forms the basis of a large portion of his analysis. Contrary to what Selgelid contends, I do not use the deafness case in my discussion of the non-identity problem to contend that the case of selecting for deafness is ethically different from the case of saviour siblings. As I state in my reply, I use the case of deafness not as a comparator for saviour siblings but rather to illustrate the different categories of risk that apply in selection cases Given this confusion, I restate my objection to relying on the non-identity problem in evaluating risk of harm associated with the embryo biopsy process for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Finally, I reiterate that the individual interests of saviour siblings remain important in the decision-making matrix and emphasise that Saviour Siblings offers a more contextualised approach to the welfare of the child in selective reproduction, which includes both individual and collective interests. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Altered intestinal microbiota and blood T cell phenotype are shared by patients with Crohn's disease and their unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Hedin, Charlotte R; McCarthy, Neil E; Louis, Petra; Farquharson, Freda M; McCartney, Sara; Taylor, Kirstin; Prescott, Natalie J; Murrells, Trevor; Stagg, Andrew J; Whelan, Kevin; Lindsay, James O

2014-10-01

Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with intestinal dysbiosis, altered blood T cell populations, elevated faecal calprotectin (FC) and increased intestinal permeability (IP). CD-associated features present in siblings (increased risk of CD) but not in healthy controls, provide insight into early CD pathogenesis. We aimed to (1) Delineate the genetic, immune and microbiological profile of patients with CD, their siblings and controls and (2) Determine which factors discriminate between groups. Faecal microbiology was analysed by quantitative PCR targeting 16S ribosomal RNA, FC by ELISA, blood T cell phenotype by flow cytometry and IP by differential lactulose-rhamnose absorption in 22 patients with inactive CD, 21 of their healthy siblings and 25 controls. Subject's genotype relative risk was determined by Illumina Immuno BeadChip. Strikingly, siblings shared aspects of intestinal dysbiosis with patients with CD (lower concentrations of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (p=0.048), Clostridia cluster IV (p=0.003) and Roseburia spp. (p=0.09) compared with controls). As in CD, siblings demonstrated a predominance of memory T cells (p=0.002) and elevated naïve CD4 T cell β7 integrin expression (p=0.01) compared with controls. FC was elevated (>50 μg/g) in 8/21 (38%) siblings compared with 2/25 (8%) controls (p=0.028); whereas IP did not differ between siblings and controls. Discriminant function analysis determined that combinations of these factors significantly discriminated between groups (χ(2)=80.4, df=20, p<0.001). Siblings were separated from controls by immunological and microbiological variables. Healthy siblings of patients with CD manifest immune and microbiological abnormalities associated with CD distinct from their genotype-related risk and provide an excellent model in which to investigate early CD pathogenesis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Pretense of parentage by siblings in immigration: Polesky's paradox reconsidered.

PubMed

Wenk, Robert E; Shao, Alison

2014-02-01

Older and younger siblings occasionally attempt to impersonate parent and child to expedite immigration under US family-based visa policies. The rate with which full siblings escape detection by current relationship tests is unknown. Retrospective study of full-sibling immigrant pairs was undertaken to determine the proportion that show insufficient genetic evidence to exclude parentage. Sibship and parentage indices (SI and PI) were compared/case in unexcluded sibling cases and true parent-child cases. Alleles shared per short-tandem-repeat locus were compared in sibling and parent-child pairs. The proportion of successful parentage fraud by siblings was estimated from the parentage exclusion rate among immigrants and the proportion of sibships without genetic inconsistencies (GIs). When 11 to 25 independent loci were tested per two-sibling case to verify or refute parentage, tests failed to demonstrate any GI in 9% and PI was greater than SI in seven of 10 of these cases. Another 29% of full-sibling pairs demonstrated insufficient evidence (fewer than two GIs) to exclude parentage. Thus, 0.4% of sibling pairs could falsely claim a parent-child relationship and show no GIs. Another 1.4% could make that false claim and not present sufficient evidence to be excluded. At present, with no evidence of parentage exclusion in a full-sibling pair, the relative magnitudes of PI and SI are misleading relationship indicators because too few loci are examined and rates of sharing one and two alleles/locus vary greatly in parentage and sibling pairs. Only evidence of exclusion ascertains false parentage claims by siblings. Nevertheless, the expected rate of successful fraud is quite low. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

Thyroid abnormalities among first-degree relatives of children with congenital hypothyroidism: an ultrasound survey.

PubMed

Adibi, Atoosa; Haghighi, Mahshid; Hosseini, Seyed Reza; Hashemipour, Mahin; Amini, Massoud; Hovsepian, Silva

2008-01-01

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is caused by thyroid dysgenesis and dyshormonogenesis. Evidence suggests the presence of genetic factors in both types of pathogenesis. We investigated whether an increased incidence of thyroid abnormalities could be shown by ultrasonography among first-degree relatives of children with CH. In this case-control study the presence of both developmental and non-developmental thyroid abnormalities was studied among first-degree relatives of CH patients and healthy children. Assessments included neck ultrasonography and thyroid function tests. The data obtained from parents, siblings and children were compared in the case and control groups. In the case group, 92 patients, 172 parents and 57 siblings, and in the control group, 82 healthy children, 160 parents and 39 siblings were studied. Thyroid developmental abnormalities were more prevalent among parents (3.5 vs. 0%, p = 0.03) and siblings (10.5 vs. 0, p = 0.01) of CH patients than the control group. Non-developmental abnormalities were not significantly different between the case and control groups (17 vs. 13%, p = 0.3). Thyroid developmental abnormalities were more prevalent among parents and siblings of CH patients than the control group, confirming the familial component of this entity. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Exploring the Factors Contributing to Sibling Correlations in BMI: A Study Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics

PubMed Central

Brown, Heather W.; Roberts, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms contributing to correlated BMI outcomes in a social network such as siblings will help policy makers reduce the burden of disease associated with obesity. There are two potential mechanisms explaining correlated BMI outcomes in a biologically related social network: (i) time constant factors such as genetic heritability and habits formed during childhood and (ii) factors that change over time some of which are dependent on the frequency of interactions between the social network, for example, social norms shaped by the social network's shifting attitudes towards weight and behaviors related to weight, or environmental factors like opportunities for exercise. This study aims to distinguish between time constant factors from factors that are likely to change over time to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms explaining the correlation in sibling BMI. We exploit data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) over 1999–2007 estimating the correlation in BMI for adult siblings who currently live in separate households but grew-up in the same household and adolescent siblings currently living in the same household to isolate the influence of factors that change over time. The findings indicate that time constant factors explain some of the overall correlation in sibling BMI for both cohorts of siblings. Factors that change over time only significantly impact on the overall correlation in BMI for adolescent siblings suggesting if there is a social network influence on correlations in BMI this is facilitated by sharing the same household. PMID:22173572

The impact of ADHD on the health and well-being of ADHD children and their siblings.

PubMed

Peasgood, Tessa; Bhardwaj, Anupam; Biggs, Katie; Brazier, John E; Coghill, David; Cooper, Cindy L; Daley, David; De Silva, Cyril; Harpin, Val; Hodgkins, Paul; Nadkarni, Amulya; Setyawan, Juliana; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S

2016-11-01

Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with reduced health and well-being of patients and their families. The authors undertook a large UK survey-based observational study of the burden associated with childhood ADHD. The impact of ADHD on both the patient (N = 476) and their siblings (N = 337) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and happiness was quantified using multiple standard measures [e.g. child health utility-9D (CHU-9D), EuroQol-5D-Youth]. In the analysis, careful statistical adjustments were made to ensure a like-for-like comparison of ADHD families with two different control groups. We controlled for carers' ADHD symptoms, their employment and relationship status and siblings' ADHD symptoms. ADHD was associated with a significant deficit in the patient's HRQoL (with a CHU-9D score of around 6 % lower). Children with ADHD also have less sleep and were less happy with their family and their lives overall. No consistent decrement to the HRQoL of the siblings was identified across the models, except that related to their own conduct problems. The siblings do, however, report lower happiness with life overall and with their family, even when controlling for the siblings own ADHD symptoms. We also find evidence of elevated bullying between siblings in families with a child with ADHD. Overall, the current results suggest that the reduction in quality of life caused by ADHD is experienced both by the child with ADHD and their siblings.

Prevalence of celiac disease in siblings of Iranian patients with celiac disease.

PubMed

Chomeili, Bashir; Aminzadeh, Majid; Hardani, Amir Kamal; Fathizadeh, Payam; Chomeili, Pooya; Azaran, Azarakhsh

2011-01-01

Celiac disease, one of the best-known autoimmune human leukocyte antigen-dependent disorders, has a relatively increased prevalence in first-degree relatives. To determine the prevalence of celiac disease in siblings of patients with confirmed celiac disease. Siblings of confirmed celiac disease patients in our center were identified and enrolled in this study. Their serum immunoglobulin A and tissue transglutaminase antibody-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (anti-tissue transglutaminase, immunoglobulin A, and immunoglobulin G) were measured and multiple endoscopic duodenal biopsy specimens were obtained with parental consensus. Celiac disease was confirmed by observation of characteristic histological changes. A total of 49 children (male, 29; female, 20; age, 2-16 years) with confirmed celiac disease in a pediatric gastroenterology ward were studied from 1999 to 2006. We found 30 siblings (female, 16) all shared in both parents. The only measurement available was for immunoglobulin A tissue transglutaminase antibody. A duodenal biopsy was performed in all 30 siblings. Clinical findings such as abdominal pain, fatigue, growth retardation and diarrhea were found in 53.3% of the completely studied siblings, and positive serology without histological changes was identified in four cases. Both serology and biopsy (confirmed new cases) were positive in 2 of the 30 siblings. High prevalence of celiac disease among siblings of patients with confirmed celiac disease necessitates serologic screening (and confirmatory biopsy if indicated) in families having celiac disease. It is advantageous to diagnose the disease as soon as possible because early diagnosis and diet intervention may prevent serious complications such as growth retardation, short stature, chronic diarrhea, and malignancy.

Cognitive abilities in siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Gizzonio, Valentina; Avanzini, Pietro; Fabbri-Destro, Maddalena; Campi, Cristina; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

2014-07-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the cognitive profiles of children with autistic spectrum disorder and of their healthy siblings (Siblings). With the term cognitive profile, we indicate the relationship extant among the values of verbal and performance subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. The conducted statistical analyses indicated that, although siblings showed a normal intelligent quotient and did not differ in this aspect from typically developing group, their cognitive profile was amazingly similar to that of their relatives affected by autism. A k-means clustering analysis on the values of single subtests further confirmed this result, showing a clear separation between typically developing children on the one side, and autistics and their siblings on the other. We suggest that the common cognitive profile observed in autistic children and their siblings could represent a marker of liability to autism and, thus, a possible intermediate phenotype of this syndrome.

Doing nothing: adults with disabilities with no daily activities and their siblings.

PubMed

Taylor, Julie Lounds; Hodapp, Robert M

2012-01-01

A significant concern of parents and professionals is that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities will go without regular educational-vocational activities. The authors examined predictors of such inactivity in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as how inactivity related to their sibling's well-being and the sibling relationship. Participants included 796 siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who responded to a web-based survey. Nearly 13% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were without daytime activities; these adults had more emotional-behavioral and health problems, were more underserved by the formal service system, and had parents who were less able to provide care. Although siblings of adults without activities reported more depressive symptoms, worse health, and less close sibling relationships, inactivity no longer predicted these problems after controlling for characteristics that predisposed adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to have no activities.

Fighting with Siblings and with Peers among Urban High School Students

PubMed Central

Johnson, Renee M.; Duncan, Dustin T.; Rothman, Emily F.; Gilreath, Tamika D.; Hemenway, David; Molnar, Beth E.; Azrael, Deborah

2014-01-01

Understanding the determinants of fighting is important for prevention efforts. Unfortunately, there is little research on how sibling fighting is related to peer fighting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between sibling fighting and peer fighting. Data are from the Boston Youth Survey 2008, a school-based sample of youth in Boston, MA. To estimate the association between sibling fighting and peer fighting we ran four multivariate regression models and estimated adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals. We fit generalized estimating equation models to account for the fact that students were clustered within schools. Controlling for school clustering, race/ethnicity, sex, school failure, substance use, and caregiver aggression, youth who fought with siblings were 2.49 times more likely to have reported fighting with peers. To the extent that we can confirm that sibling violence is associated with aggressive behavior, we should incorporate it into violence prevention programming. PMID:25287411

Caregiving, Perceptions of Maternal Favoritism, and Tension Among Siblings

PubMed Central

Suitor, J. Jill; Gilligan, Megan; Johnson, Kaitlin; Pillemer, Karl

2014-01-01

Purpose: Studies of later-life families have revealed that sibling tension often increases in response to parents’ need for care. Both theory and research on within-family differences suggest that when parents’ health declines, sibling relations may be affected by which children assume care and whether siblings perceive that the parent favors some offspring over others. In the present study, we explore the ways in which these factors shape sibling tension both independently and in combination during caregiving. Design and Methods: In this article, we use data collected from 450 adult children nested within 214 later-life families in which the offspring reported that their mothers needed care within 2 years prior to the interview. Results: Multilevel analyses demonstrated that providing care and perceiving favoritism regarding future caregiving were associated with sibling tension following mothers’ major health events. Further, the effects of caregiving on sibling tension were greater when perceptions of favoritism were also present. Implications: These findings shed new light on the conditions under which adult children are likely to experience high levels of sibling tension during caregiving. Understanding these processes is important because siblings are typically the individuals to whom caregivers are most likely to turn for support when assuming care of older parents, yet these relationships are often a major source of interpersonal stress. PMID:23811753

Decreased default-mode network homogeneity in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients at rest.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Yao, Dapeng; Jiang, Jiajing; Su, Qinji; Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Jian; Yu, Liuyu; Zhai, Jinguo; Xiao, Changqing

2014-12-30

The dysconnectivity hypothesis proposes that abnormal resting state connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN) plays a key role in schizophrenia. Little is known, however, about alterations of the network homogeneity (NH) of the DMN in unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia. Unaffected siblings have unique advantages as subjects of neuroimaging studies independent of the clinical and treatment issues that complicate studies of the patients themselves. In the present study, we investigated NH of the DMN in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia. Participants comprised 46 unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 50 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls who underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Automated NH and group independent component analysis (ICA) approaches were used to analyze the data. Compared with healthy controls, the unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients showed decreased DMN homogeneity in the left precuneus. No significantly increased DMN homogeneity was found in the sibling group relative to the control group. Our results suggest that there is decreased NH of the DMN in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and indicate that the alternative perspective of examining the DMN NH in patients׳ siblings may improve understanding of the nature of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in vocal-motor development in infant siblings of children with autism.

PubMed

Iverson, Jana M; Wozniak, Robert H

2007-01-01

In this study we examined early motor, vocal, and communicative development in a group of younger siblings of children diagnosed with autism (Infant Siblings). Infant Siblings and no-risk comparison later-born infants were videotaped at home with a primary caregiver each month from 5 to 14 months, with follow-up at 18 months. As a group, Infant Siblings were delayed in the onset of early developmental milestones and spent significantly less time in a greater number of postures, suggestive of relative postural instability. In addition, they demonstrated attenuated patterns of change in rhythmic arm activity around the time of reduplicated babble onset; and they were highly likely to exhibit delayed language development at 18 months.

Neural correlates of reward processing in healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Hanssen, Esther; van der Velde, Jorien; Gromann, Paula M.; Shergill, Sukhi S.; de Haan, Lieuwe; Bruggeman, Richard; Krabbendam, Lydia; Aleman, André; van Atteveldt, Nienke

2015-01-01

Deficits in motivational behavior and psychotic symptoms often observed in schizophrenia (SZ) may be driven by dysfunctional reward processing (RP). RP can be divided in two different stages; reward anticipation and reward consumption. Aberrant processing during reward anticipation seems to be related to SZ. Studies in patients with SZ have found less activation in the ventral striatum (VS) during anticipation of reward, but these findings do not provide information on effect of the genetic load on reward processing. Therefore, this study investigated RP in healthy first-degree relatives of SZ patients. The sample consisted of 94 healthy siblings of SZ patients and 57 healthy controls. Participants completed a classic RP task, the Monetary Incentive Delay task, during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As expected, there were no behavioral differences between groups. In contrast to our expectations, we found no differences in any of the anticipatory reward related brain areas (region of interest analyses). Whole-brain analyses did reveal group differences during both reward anticipation and reward consumption; during reward anticipation siblings showed less deactivation in the insula, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and medial frontal gyrus (MFG) than controls. During reward consumption siblings showed less deactivation in the PCC and the right MFG compared to controls and activation in contrast to deactivation in controls in the precuneus and the left MFG. Exclusively in siblings, MFG activity correlated positively with subclinical negative symptoms. These regions are typically associated with the default mode network (DMN), which normally shows decreases in activation during task-related cognitive processes. Thus, in contrast to prior literature in patients with SZ, the results do not point to altered brain activity in classical RP brain areas, such as the VS. However, the weaker deactivation found outside the reward-related network in siblings could indicate reduced task-related suppression (i.e., hyperactivation) of the DMN. The presence of DMN hyperactivation during reward anticipation and reward consumption might indicate that siblings of patients with SZ have a higher baseline level of DMN activation and possible abnormal network functioning. PMID:26441601

32 CFR 270.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... to this part.) (d) Siblings by blood of an eligible person. Siblings related by blood to a deceased..., Studies and Observations Group (MACV/SOG), starting in 1964, which inserted commandos into North Vietnam...

Is Self-Regulation "All in the family"? Testing Environmental Effects using Within-Family Quasi-Experiments.

PubMed

Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-05-01

Most of the individual difference variance in the population is found within families, yet studying the processes causing this variation is difficult due to confounds between genetic and nongenetic influences. Quasi-experiments can be used to test hypotheses regarding environment exposure (e.g., timing, duration) while controlling for genetic confounds. To illustrate, two studies of cognitive self-regulation in childhood (i.e., working memory [WM], effortful control [EC], attention span/persistence [A/P]) are presented. Study 1 utilized an identical twin differences design ( N = 85 to 98 pairs) to control for genetic differences while using relative twin birth weight difference to predict relative twin difference in WM and EC. Larger relative twin difference in WM and EF was predicted by the combination of shorter gestation and larger relative birth weight difference. Study 2 utilized an adoptive sibling relative difference design ( N = 123 same-sex pairs) to control for genetic similarity while using relative sibling difference in the age at time of adoption to predict relative sibling difference in A/P. Larger relative sibling difference in A/P was predicted by the combination of larger relative difference in time in the adoptive home and age at adoption. Within-family quasi-experimental designs allow stronger inferences about hypothesized environmental influences than between-family designs permit.

Sibling Relationships and Empathy Across the Transition to Adolescence Sibling Relationships and Empathy Across the Transition to Adolescence

PubMed Central

Lam, Chun Bun; Solmeyer, Anna R.; McHale, Susan M.

2012-01-01

Although socioemotional competencies have been identified as key components of youths’ positive development, most studies on empathy are cross-sectional, and research on the role of the family has focused almost exclusively on parental socialization. This study examined the developmental course of empathy from age 7 to 14 and the within-person associations between sibling warmth and conflict and youths’ empathy. On three occasions across 2 years, mothers, fathers, and the two eldest siblings from 201 White, working- and middle-class families provided questionnaire data. Multilevel models revealed that, controlling for youths’ pubertal status and parental education, girls’ empathy increased during the transition to adolescence and then leveled off, but boys’ lower levels of empathy remained relatively unchanged. Moreover, controlling for parental responsiveness and marital love, at times when firstborns and second-borns reported more sibling warmth and less sibling conflict than usual, they also reported more empathy than usual. The within-person association between sibling warmth and empathy also became stronger over time. Findings highlight gender differences in empathy development and the unique role of siblings in shaping each other’s socioemotional characteristics during adolescence. PMID:22714744

Mother-Child Relationship in Youths with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and their Siblings.

PubMed

Chang, Jane Pei-Chen; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2017-07-01

Despite impaired mother-child interactions noted in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), there is no such information for their siblings. This study aimed to test whether the affected and unaffected siblings, like youth with ADHD, also encountered impaired mothering and mother-child relationships as compared to typically developing youth (TD). The sample consisted of 122 probands (107 males, 87.7 %), aged 10-16, with DSM-IV ADHD, 44 affected (26 males, 59.1 %) and 78 unaffected (28 males, 35.9 %) siblings, and 122 TD youth. Both participants and their mothers received psychiatric interviews (K-SADS-E) about the participants and reported maternal parenting style, mother-child interactions and child behavioral problems at home. Based on both reports, probands with ADHD and affected siblings (only youth report) had more impaired relationships, more behavioral problems at home, and less perceived family support than unaffected siblings and TD youth. Probands with ADHD had higher maternal authoritarian control than unaffected siblings. The findings suggest that impaired mothering, mother-child interactions, and family support are related to the presence of ADHD diagnosis in both probands and their affected siblings.

Are there shared environmental influences on adolescent behavior? Evidence from a study of adoptive siblings.

PubMed

Buchanan, Jacob P; McGue, Matt; Keyes, Margaret; Iacono, William G

2009-09-01

The failure to identify specific non-shared environmental influences on behavior coupled with the belief that shared environmental factors contribute minimally to individual differences in behavior has led to the concern that major environmental determinants of behavior may be idiosyncratic, and therefore undetectable. We used data on adoptive (N = 246) and biologically related (N = 130) same-sex sibling pairs (mean ages = 16.1 years older sibling; 13.8 years younger sibling) from the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study (SIBS) to determine whether non-idiosyncratic environmental factors shared by siblings contributed to individual differences in a diverse set of behavioral outcomes. Evidence for shared environmental influence was sought for eight composite measures covering a wide array of adolescent functioning: Academic Achievement, Total IQ, Substance Use Disorders, Externalizing Disorders, Internalizing Disorders, Peer Groups, Disinhibited Personality, and Negative Emotionality. For six of eight composites, significant shared environmental effects, accounting for 14-22% of the variance, were observed for these same-sex sibling pairs. These findings support the use of adoptive sibling designs to directly estimate shared environmental effects and implicate the existence of systematic environmental influences on behavior that are potentially detectable.

The Role of Placement History and Current Family Environment in Children's Aggression in Foster Care.

PubMed

Perry, Kristin J; Price, Joseph

2017-04-01

Predictors of the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care were examined ( N = 160, 50.9% male, M age = 7.57, SD = 2.39). First, predictors representative of children's placement histories were examined in relation to the children's aggression at T1. Next, predictors representing characteristics of the current family environment were examined in relation to the children's aggression at T2 (four months later). Results revealed that a greater number of prior group home placements and being in a non-kinship home were associated with higher physical aggression at T1. A greater number of prior group home placements, a fewer number of regular home placements, being in a non-kinship home, and prior removal from the home due to neglect were associated with higher relational aggression at T1. The results also revealed that higher foster sibling relational aggression at T1 predicted lower child physical aggression at T2. If foster siblings were biological children of the foster parent, higher levels of a foster sibling's physical aggression at T1 predicted reduced child physical aggression at T2. The opposite pattern was observed if foster siblings were not biological children of the foster parent. Lastly, longer time in the current placement, more children in the home, and the presence of a sibling that was a biological child of the parent predicted higher child relational aggression at T2. These findings provide initial insights into how placement history and current family environment are associated with the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care.

Siblings’ Perceptions of Differential Treatment, Fairness, and Jealousy and Adolescent Adjustment: A Moderated Indirect Effects Model

PubMed Central

Loeser, Meghan K.; Whiteman, Shawn D.; McHale, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Youth's perception of parents’ differential treatment (PDT) are associated with maladjustment during adolescence. Although the direct relations between PDT and youth's maladjustment have been well established, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. We addressed this gap by examining whether sibling jealousy accounted for the links between PDT and youth's depressive symptoms, self-worth, and risky behaviors. Additionally, we examined whether youth's perceptions of fairness regarding their treatment as well as the gender constellation of the dyad moderated these indirect relations (i.e., moderated-indirect effects). Participants were first- and second-born adolescent siblings (M = 15.96, SD = .72 years for older siblings, M = 13.48, SD = 1.02 years for younger siblings) and their parents from 197 working and middle class European American families. Data were collected via home interviews. A series of Conditional Process Analyses revealed significant indirect effects of PDT through sibling jealousy to all three adjustment outcomes. Furthermore, perceptions of fairness moderated the relations between PDT and jealousy, such that the indirect effects were only significant at low (−1 SD) and average levels of fairness. At high levels of fairness (+1 SD) there was no association between PDT, jealousy, and youth adjustment. Taken together, results indicate that youth and parents would benefit from engaging in clear communication regarding the reasoning for the occurrence of differential treatment, likely maximizing youth and parent perceptions of that treatment as being fair, and in turn mitigating sibling jealousy and maladjustment. PMID:27867295

Life history consequences of mammal sibling rivalry.

PubMed

Stockley, P; Parker, G A

2002-10-01

Mammal life history traits relating to growth and reproduction are extremely diverse. Sibling rivalry may contribute to selection pressures influencing this diversity, because individuals that are relatively large at birth typically have an advantage in competition for milk. However, selection for increased growth rate is likely to be constrained by kin selection and physiological costs. Here, we present and test a model examining the ESS (evolutionarily stable strategy) balance between these constraints and advantages associated with increased prenatal growth in mammal sibling rivalry. Predictions of the model are supported by results of comparative analyses for the Carnivora and Insectivora, which demonstrate an increase in prenatal growth rate with increasing intensity of postnatal scramble competition, and a decrease in postnatal growth rate relative to size at birth. Because increased prenatal growth rates are predicted to select for reduced gestation length under certain conditions, our study also indicates that sibling rivalry may contribute to selection pressures influencing variation in altriciality and precociality among mammals.

Adolescent Family Experiences and Educational Attainment during Early Adulthood

PubMed Central

Melby, Janet N.; Conger, Rand D.; Fang, Shu-Ann; Wickrama, K. A. S.; Conger, Katherine J.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the degree to which a family investment model would help account for the association between family of origin socioeconomic characteristics and the later educational attainment of 451 young adults (age 26) from two-parent families. Parents’ educational level, occupational prestige, and family income in 1989 each had a statistically significant direct relationship with youths’ educational attainment in 2002. Consistent with the theoretical model guiding the study, parents’ educational level and family income also demonstrated statistically significant indirect effects on later educational attainment through their associations with growth trajectories for supportive parenting, sibling relations, and adolescent academic engagement. Supportive parenting and sibling relations were linked to later educational attainment through their association with adolescent academic engagement. Academic engagement during adolescence was associated with educational attainment in young adulthood. These basic processes operated similarly regardless of youths’ gender, target youths’ age relative to a near-age sibling, gender composition of the sibling dyad, or gender of parent. PMID:18999319

Psychosocial Adjustment in Siblings of Children with War-Related Injuries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khamis, Vivian

2013-01-01

The study assessed the prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic symptomatology and emotional and behavioral difficulties in siblings of children who incurred war-related injuries. It was predicted that injury severity, gender and attributional style would account for a significant amount of the variance in post-traumatic stress symptoms and…

Israeli Kindergarten Children's Gender Constancy for Others' Counter-Stereotypic Toy Play and Appearance: The Role of Sibling Gender and Relative Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karniol, Rachel

2009-01-01

To test divergent theoretical predictions as to the impact of having a younger or older, same-sex sibling or opposite-sex sibling on other gender constancy, Israeli kindergarten children in two-child families responded to a gender constancy task in which a male and female picture target engaged in counter-stereotypic toy play and adopted…

Strategies for mapping heterogeneous recessive traits by allele-sharing methods.

PubMed Central

Feingold, E; Siegmund, D O

1997-01-01

We investigate strategies for detecting linkage of recessive and partially recessive traits, using sibling pairs and inbred individuals. We assume that a genomewide search is being conducted and that locus heterogeneity of the trait is likely. For sibling pairs, we evaluate the efficiency of different statistics under the assumption that one does not know the true degree of recessiveness of the trait. We recommend a sibling-pair statistic that is a linear compromise between two previously suggested statistics. We also compare the power of sibling pairs to that of more distant relatives, such as cousins. For inbred individuals, we evaluate the power of offspring of different types of matings and compare them to sibling pairs. Over a broad range of trait etiologies, sibling pairs are more powerful than inbred individuals, but for traits caused by very rare alleles, particularly in the case of heterogeneity, inbred individuals can be much more powerful. The models we develop can also be used to examine specific situations other than those we look at. We present this analysis in the idealized context of a dense set of highly polymorphic markers. In general, incorporation of real-world complexities makes inbred individuals, particularly offspring of distant relatives, look slightly less useful than our results imply. PMID:9106544

Causes of mortality after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the comparison with HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Yan, C H; Xu, L P; Wang, F R; Chen, H; Han, W; Wang, Yu; Wang, J Z; Liu, K Y; Huang, X J

2016-03-01

This study was performed to investigate incidence, causes and factors influencing mortality after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to compare differences between haploidentical HSCT and HLA-identical sibling HSCT. From January 2000 to June 2011, 1411 patients with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome were included in this study. Of these patients, 571 received HLA-identical sibling HSCT and 840 received haploidentical HSCT. The cumulative incidence of overall mortality and transplant-related mortality (TRM) after haploidentical HSCT was higher than those after HLA-identical sibling HSCT (38.7% vs. 33.3%, P=0.012 and 27.5% vs. 19.9%, P=0.002), but the incidence of relapse-related mortality (RRM) did not differ between the two groups (15.6% vs. 16.7%, P=0.943). A multivariate analysis suggested that high-risk disease status and haploidentical HSCT correlated with a higher incidence of overall mortality (P<0.0001, hazard ratio=1.911 and P=0.019, hazard ratio=1.249); in addition, in haploidentical HSCT, only high-risk disease status correlated with a higher incidence of overall mortality (P<0.0001, hazard ratio=1.845). Our study suggested that haploidentical HSCT provided a higher incidence of overall mortality and TRM but the same incidence of RRM compared with HLA-identical sibling HSCT. Therefore, HLA-identical sibling HSCT remains the first choice, but haploidentical HSCT is available for patients without an HLA-identical sibling donor.

Regional white matter abnormalities in drug-naive, first-episode schizophrenia patients and their healthy unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Lyu, Hailong; Hu, Maorong; Eyler, Lisa T; Jin, Hua; Wang, Juan; Ou, Jianjun; Guo, Xiaofeng; He, Zhong; Liu, Fang; Zhao, Jingping; Guo, Wenbin

2015-03-01

Shared neuropathological features between schizophrenia patients and their siblings may represent intermediate phenotypes of schizophrenia and can be used to investigate genetic susceptibility to the illness. This study aimed to discover regional white matter abnormalities in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and their unaffected siblings compared to healthy subjects in the Chinese Han population using optimized Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM). A total of 51 drug-naive, FES patients, 45 of their unaffected siblings and 59 healthy comparisons were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). FES patients exhibited significant regional white matter deficits in the left inferior frontal gyrus and left joint of external capsule and internal capsule compared with healthy subjects (corrected FDR, p<0.005). The sibling group also showed significant white matter deficits in these two regions compared with the healthy comparison group (uncorrected, p<0.001). White matter deficits with a less stringent threshold for significance in the left cerebellum anterior lobe, left middle frontal gyrus, left hippocampus, right anterior cingulate and right internal capsule were observed in patients compared to their siblings. Our findings extend those from previous VBM analyses showing that FES patients and their unaffected siblings may share white matter deficits in the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left joint of external capsule and internal capsule. These regional white matter deficits may be related to genetic factors related to schizophrenia susceptibility. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

Siblings of children with a chronic illness: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sharpe, Donald; Rossiter, Lucille

2002-12-01

To review the literature pertaining to the siblings of children with a chronic illness. Fifty-one published studies and 103 effect sizes were identified and examined through meta-analysis. We found (1) a modest, negative effect size statistic existed for siblings of children with a chronic illness relative to comparison participants or normative data; (2) heterogeneity existed for those effect sizes; (3) parent reports were more negative than child self-reports; (4) psychological functioning (i.e., depression, anxiety), peer activities, and cognitive development scores were lower for siblings of children with a chronic illness compared to controls; and (5) a cluster of chronic illnesses with daily treatment regimes was associated with negative effect statistics compared to chronic illnesses that did not affect daily functioning. More methodologically sound studies investigating the psychological functioning of siblings of children with a chronic illness are needed. Clinicians need to know that siblings of children with a chronic illness are at risk for negative psychological effects. Intervention programs for the siblings and families of children with a chronic illness should be developed.

Exploring parent-sibling communication in families of children with sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Graff, J Carolyn; Hankins, Jane S; Hardy, Belinda T; Hall, Heather R; Roberts, Ruth J; Neely-Barnes, Susan L

2010-01-01

Communication within families of children with sickle cell disease is important yet has not been adequately investigated. Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of children with sickle cell disease to explore parent-sibling communication about sickle cell disease. Communication was influenced by attributes and behaviors of the parent, the child with sickle cell disease, and the sibling; extended family, neighbors, friends, and church members or social networks; and available, accessible resources related to the child's health, child's school, and parent employment. Outcomes that influenced and were influenced by factors within and outside the parent-sibling dyad and nuclear family included parent satisfaction, parent roles, family intactness, and status attainment. These findings support previous research with African-American families and expand our views of the importance of educating parents, family members, and others about sickle cell disease. The findings suggest a need to explore sibling perception of this communication, parent and sibling perception of the impact of frequent hospitalizations and clinic visits on the sibling and family, and variations within families of children with sickle cell disease.

Is child intelligence associated with parent and sibling intelligence in individuals with developmental disorders? An investigation in youth with 22q11.2 deletion (velo-cardio-facial) syndrome.

PubMed

Olszewski, Amy K; Radoeva, Petya D; Fremont, Wanda; Kates, Wendy R; Antshel, Kevin M

2014-12-01

Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), a copy-number variation (CNV) genetic disorder, demonstrate a great deal of variability in IQ scores and are at particular risk for cognitive difficulties, with up to 45% experiencing intellectual disability. This study explored the IQ relationship between individuals with 22q11DS, their parents and their siblings. Participants included individuals with 22q11DS, unaffected siblings and community controls, who participated in a longitudinal study of 22q11DS. Significant associations between proband and relative (parent, sibling) IQ scores were found. Results suggest that the cognitive functioning of first-degree relatives could be a useful marker of general genetic background and/or environmental effects, and can explain some of the large phenotypic variability in 22q11DS. These findings underscore the importance of including siblings and parents in studies of 22q11DS whenever possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive functioning in individuals with bipolar disorder and their healthy siblings: a preliminary study

PubMed Central

Bauer, Isabelle E.; Wu, Mon-Ju; Frazier, T.W.; Mwangi, Benson; Spiker, Danielle; Zunta-Soares, Giovana B.; Soares, Jair C.

2016-01-01

Background Cognitive deficits have been consistently reported in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). The cognitive profile of siblings of individuals with BD is, however, less clearly established possibly due to the heterogeneity of neuropsychological measures used in previous studies. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the cognitive function of siblings of individuals with BD and compare it with that of their first-degree relatives suffering with BD, and healthy controls (HC) using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) - a comprehensive and validated computerized cognitive battery. Methods We recruited 23 HC (33.52±10.29 years, 8 males), 27 individuals with BD (34.26±10.19 years, 9 males, 25 BDI, 1BDII and 1 BD-NOS), and 15 of their biologically related siblings (37.47±13.15 years, 4 males). Siblings had no current or lifetime history of mental disorders. Participants performed the CANTAB and completed questionnaires assessing mood and global functioning. Multivariate analyses compared CANTAB measures across the three participant groups. Results Individuals with BD and their siblings were less accurate in a task of sustained attention (Rapid Visual Processing) when compared to HC. Further, individuals with BD displayed pronounced deficits in affective processing (Affective Go/No-Go) compared to HC. There were no cognitive differences between siblings and individuals with BD. After correcting for current depressive symptoms, these results did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Subthreshold depressive symptoms may be associated with reduced sustained attention in healthy siblings of BD patients. This preliminary result needs to be corroborated by large-scale, longitudinal studies assessing the relationship between cognition and mood in vulnerable individuals. PMID:27179338

Proactive and reactive sibling aggression and adjustment in adolescence.

PubMed

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; Van Gundy, Karen T; Wiesen-Martin, Desireé; Hiley Sharp, Erin; Rebellon, Cesar J; Stracuzzi, Nena F

2015-03-01

Existing research on aggression tends to narrowly focus on peers; less is known about sibling aggression, most likely due to its historical acceptance. Aggression is characterized by its forms (i.e., physical vs. social or relational aggression) and its functions (i.e., the motivations behind the aggressive act and categorized as proactive vs. reactive aggression). We use data from a two-wave study of middle (n = 197; M age = 12.63 years at Wave 1) and older (n = 159; M age = 16.50 years at Wave 1) adolescents to assess the extent to which proactive and reactive functions of sibling aggression make unique or conditional contributions to adolescent adjustment (i.e., depression, delinquency, and substance use). We find that proactive sibling aggression increases risk for problem substance use and delinquent behavior, reactive sibling aggression increases risk for depressed mood and delinquent behavior, and such results are observed even with statistical adjustments for sociodemographic and family variables, stressful life events, and prior adjustment. Few conditional effects of proactive or reactive sibling aggression by sex or grade are observed; yet, for all three outcomes, the harmful effects of reactive sibling aggression are strongest among adolescents who report low levels of proactive sibling aggression. The results speak to the importance of understanding the proactive and reactive functions of sibling aggressive behaviors for adolescent adjustment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Birth order and preschool children's cooperative abilities: A within-family analysis.

PubMed

Prime, Heather; Plamondon, André; Jenkins, Jennifer M

2017-09-01

There is evidence for a laterborn sibling advantage in some social skills, although this has not been investigated in children's early capacities for cooperation. Using a within-family design, this study compared firstborn and laterborn (i.e., middle and youngest) siblings on their cooperative abilities when they were aged around 3 years. Further, the study investigated whether the association between children's birth order and cooperative abilities was dependent on the prosocial behaviour of other siblings in the home. The sample included 288 ethnically and sociodemographically diverse children clustered within 144 families. Cooperation was directly assessed using a problem-solving paradigm requiring two simultaneous and complementary actions of the child and adult tester to achieve a joint goal. Parents reported on the prosocial behaviour of up to four siblings in the home. Results of a multilevel analysis indicated that youngest children were more advanced in their cooperative abilities, compared to firstborn children, irrespective of their siblings' prosociality. Middle children, in contrast, were only advantaged over firstborn children if their siblings showed high levels of prosociality. The analysis accounted for a number of potential family-wide confounds, providing evidence that this is a child-specific effect related to birth order. Findings are discussed from a social constructivist perspective with an emphasis on the sibling relationship as a context for cooperative interactions that facilitate sociocognitive development. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? There are individual differences in children's early capacities for cooperation. Children's early cooperation has not been considered in relation to birth order and/or sibling interaction quality. What does this study add? Youngest children are advantaged in their cooperation as compared to firstborn children. Middle children are also advantaged, but only if their siblings are prosocial. The use of a developmentally sensitive within-family design reduces confounds common to birth order studies. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Neural processing of intentional biological motion in unaffected siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Ahmed, Alex A; Vander Wyk, Brent C

2013-12-01

Despite often showing behaviorally typical levels of social cognitive ability, unaffected siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder have been found to show similar functional and morphological deficits within brain regions associated with social processing. They have also been reported to show increased activation to biological motion in these same regions, such as the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), relative to both children with autism and control children. It has been suggested that this increased activation may represent a compensatory reorganization of these regions as a result of the highly heritable genetic influence of autism. However, the response patterns of unaffected siblings in the domain of action perception are unstudied, and the phenomenon of compensatory activation has not yet been replicated. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine the neural responses to intentional biological actions in 22 siblings of children with autism and 22 matched controls. The presented actions were either congruent or incongruent with the actor's emotional cue. Prior studies reported that typically developing children and adults, but not children with autism, show increased activation to incongruent actions (relative to congruent), within the pSTS and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We report that unaffected siblings did not show a compensatory response, or a preference for incongruent over congruent trials, in any brain region. Moreover, interaction analyses revealed a sub-region of the pSTS in which control children showed an incongruency preference to a significantly greater degree than siblings, which suggests a localized deficit in siblings. A sample of children with autism also did not show differential activation in the pSTS, providing further evidence that it is an area of selective disruption in children with autism and siblings. While reduced activation to both conditions was unique to the autism sample, lack of differentiation to incongruent and congruent intentional actions was common to both children with ASD and unaffected siblings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Predictors of Risky and Heavy Alcohol Consumption Among Adult Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors

PubMed Central

Lown, E. Anne; Mertens, Ann C.; Korcha, Rachael A.; Leisenring, Wendy; Hudson, Melissa M.; Greenfield, Thomas K.; Robison, Leslie L.; Zeltzer, Lonnie K.

2013-01-01

Objective To describe alcohol consumption patterns and risk factors for heavy alcohol use among siblings of childhood cancer survivors compared to survivors and national controls. Methods Secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from two national surveys was performed including a cohort of 3,034 adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors (age 18-56 years) and 10,398 adult childhood cancer survivors both from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, plus 5,712 adult participants from the population-based National Alcohol Survey. Cancer-related experiences, self-reported current health and mental health were examined in relation to alcohol consumption patterns including heavy and risky drinking. Results Adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors were more likely to be heavy drinkers (ORadj=1.3; 1.0-1.6) and risky drinkers (ORadj=1.3; 1.1-1.6) compared to controls from a national sample. Siblings were also more likely to drink at these two levels compared to survivors. Factors associated with heavy drinking among siblings include being 18-21 years old (ORadj=2.9; 2.0-4.4), male (ORadj=2.3; 1.7-3.0), having a high school education or less (ORadj=2.4; 1.7-3.5), and drinking initiation at a young age (ORadj=5.1; 2.5-10.3). Symptoms of depression, (ORadj=2.1; 1.3-3.2), anxiety (ORadj=1.9; 1.1-3.3) and global psychiatric distress (ORadj=2.5; 1.5-4.3) were significantly associated with heavy alcohol use. Conclusions Siblings of children with cancer are more likely to be heavy drinkers as adults compared to childhood cancer survivors or national controls. Early initiation of drinking and symptoms of psychological distress should be identified during early adolescence and effective sibling-specific interventions should be developed and made available for siblings of children with cancer. PMID:22736595

Survival of Parents and Siblings of Supercentenarians

PubMed Central

Perls, Thomas; Kohler, Iliana V.; Andersen, Stacy; Schoenhofen, Emily; Pennington, JaeMi; Young, Robert; Terry, Dellara; Elo, Irma T.

2011-01-01

Background Given previous evidence of familial predisposition for longevity, we hypothesized that siblings and parents of supercentenarians (age ≥ 110 years) were predisposed to survival to very old age and that, relative to their birth cohorts, their relative survival probabilities (RSPs) are even higher than what has been observed for the siblings of centenarians. Methods Mean age at death conditional upon survival to ages 20 and 50 and survival probabilities from ages 20 and 50 to higher ages were determined for 50 male and 56 female siblings and 54 parents of 29 supercentenarians. These estimates were contrasted with comparable estimates based on birth cohort-specific mortality experience for the United States and Sweden. Results Conditional on survival to age 20 years, mean age at death of supercentenarians’ siblings was ~81 years for men and women. Compared with respective Swedish and U.S. birth cohorts, these estimates were 17%–20% (12–14 years) higher for the brothers and 11%–14% (8–10 years) higher for the sisters. Sisters had a 2.9 times greater probability and brothers had a 4.3 times greater probability of survival from age 20 to age 90. Mothers of supercentenarians had a 5.8 times greater probability of surviving from age 50 to age 90. Fathers also experienced an increased survival probability from age 50 to age 90 of 2.7, but it failed to attain statistical significance. Conclusions The RSPs of siblings and mothers of supercentenarians revealed a substantial survival advantage and were most pronounced at the oldest ages. The RSP to age 90 for siblings of supercentenarians was approximately the same as that reported for siblings of centenarians. It is possible that greater RSPs are observed for reaching even higher ages such as 100 years, but a larger sample of supercentenarians and their siblings and parents is needed to investigate this possibility. PMID:17895443

Survival of parents and siblings of supercentenarians.

PubMed

Perls, Thomas; Kohler, Iliana V; Andersen, Stacy; Schoenhofen, Emily; Pennington, JaeMi; Young, Robert; Terry, Dellara; Elo, Irma T

2007-09-01

Given previous evidence of familial predisposition for longevity, we hypothesized that siblings and parents of supercentenarians (age >or= 110 years) were predisposed to survival to very old age and that, relative to their birth cohorts, their relative survival probabilities (RSPs) are even higher than what has been observed for the siblings of centenarians. Mean age at death conditional upon survival to ages 20 and 50 and survival probabilities from ages 20 and 50 to higher ages were determined for 50 male and 56 female siblings and 54 parents of 29 supercentenarians. These estimates were contrasted with comparable estimates based on birth cohort-specific mortality experience for the United States and Sweden. Conditional on survival to age 20 years, mean age at death of supercentenarians' siblings was approximately 81 years for men and women. Compared with respective Swedish and U.S. birth cohorts, these estimates were 17%-20% (12-14 years) higher for the brothers and 11%-14% (8-10 years) higher for the sisters. Sisters had a 2.9 times greater probability and brothers had a 4.3 times greater probability of survival from age 20 to age 90. Mothers of supercentenarians had a 5.8 times greater probability of surviving from age 50 to age 90. Fathers also experienced an increased survival probability from age 50 to age 90 of 2.7, but it failed to attain statistical significance. The RSPs of siblings and mothers of supercentenarians revealed a substantial survival advantage and were most pronounced at the oldest ages. The RSP to age 90 for siblings of supercentenarians was approximately the same as that reported for siblings of centenarians. It is possible that greater RSPs are observed for reaching even higher ages such as 100 years, but a larger sample of supercentenarians and their siblings and parents is needed to investigate this possibility.

Prevalence and predictors of risky and heavy alcohol consumption among adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors.

PubMed

Lown, E Anne; Mertens, Ann C; Korcha, Rachael A; Leisenring, Wendy; Hudson, Melissa M; Greenfield, Thomas K; Robison, Leslie L; Zeltzer, Lonnie K

2013-05-01

To describe alcohol consumption patterns and risk factors for risky and heavy alcohol use among siblings of childhood cancer survivors compared with survivors and national controls. Secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from two national surveys was performed including a cohort of 3034 adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors (age 18-56 years) and 10,398 adult childhood cancer survivors, both from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, plus 5712 adult participants from the population-based National Alcohol Survey. Cancer-related experiences, self-reported current health, and mental health were examined in relation to alcohol consumption patterns including heavy and risky drinking. Adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors were more likely to be heavy drinkers (OR adj = 1.3; 1.0-1.6) and risky drinkers (OR adj = 1.3; 1.1-1.6) compared with controls from a national sample. Siblings were also more likely to drink at these two levels compared with survivors. Factors associated with heavy drinking among siblings included being 18-21 years old (OR adj = 2.9; 2.0-4.4), male (OR adj = 2.3; 1.7-3.0), having a high school education or less (OR adj = 2.4; 1.7-3.5), and drinking initiation at a young age (OR adj = 5.1; 2.5-10.3). Symptoms of depression, (OR adj = 2.1; 1.3-3.2), anxiety (OR adj = 1.9; 1.1-3.3), and global psychiatric distress (OR adj = 2.5; 1.5-4.3) were significantly associated with heavy alcohol use. Siblings of children with cancer are more likely to be risky and heavy drinkers as adults compared with childhood cancer survivors or national controls. Early initiation of drinking and symptoms of psychological distress should be identified during early adolescence and effective sibling-specific interventions should be developed and made available for siblings of children with cancer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Novel Method for Verifying War Mortality while Estimating Iraqi Deaths for the Iran-Iraq War through Operation Desert Storm (1980-1993).

PubMed

Li, Shang-Ju; Flaxman, Abraham; Lafta, Riyadh; Galway, Lindsay; Takaro, Tim K; Burnham, Gilbert; Hagopian, Amy

2016-01-01

We estimated war-related Iraqi mortality for the period 1980 through 1993. To test our hypothesis that deaths reported by siblings (even dating back several decades) would correspond with war events, we compared sibling mortality reports with the frequency of independent news reports about violent historic events. We used data from a survey of 4,287 adults in 2000 Iraqi households conducted in 2011. Interviewees reported on the status of their 24,759 siblings. Death rates were applied to population estimates, 1980 to 1993. News report data came from the ProQuest New York Times database. About half of sibling-reported deaths across the study period were attributed to direct war-related injuries. The Iran-Iraq war led to nearly 200,000 adult deaths, and the 1990-1991 First Gulf War generated another approximately 40,000 deaths. Deaths during peace intervals before and after each war were significantly lower. We found a relationship between total sibling-reported deaths and the tally of war events across the period, p = 0.02. We report a novel method to verify the reliability of epidemiological (household survey) estimates of direct war-related injury mortality dating back several decades.

A Novel Method for Verifying War Mortality while Estimating Iraqi Deaths for the Iran-Iraq War through Operation Desert Storm (1980-1993)

PubMed Central

Li, Shang-Ju; Flaxman, Abraham; Lafta, Riyadh; Galway, Lindsay; Takaro, Tim K.; Burnham, Gilbert; Hagopian, Amy

2016-01-01

Objectives We estimated war-related Iraqi mortality for the period 1980 through 1993. Method To test our hypothesis that deaths reported by siblings (even dating back several decades) would correspond with war events, we compared sibling mortality reports with the frequency of independent news reports about violent historic events. We used data from a survey of 4,287 adults in 2000 Iraqi households conducted in 2011. Interviewees reported on the status of their 24,759 siblings. Death rates were applied to population estimates, 1980 to 1993. News report data came from the ProQuest New York Times database. Results About half of sibling-reported deaths across the study period were attributed to direct war-related injuries. The Iran-Iraq war led to nearly 200,000 adult deaths, and the 1990–1991 First Gulf War generated another approximately 40,000 deaths. Deaths during peace intervals before and after each war were significantly lower. We found a relationship between total sibling-reported deaths and the tally of war events across the period, p = 0.02. Conclusions We report a novel method to verify the reliability of epidemiological (household survey) estimates of direct war-related injury mortality dating back several decades. PMID:27768730

Atypical activation during the Embedded Figures Task as a functional magnetic resonance imaging endophenotype of autism

PubMed Central

Holt, Rosemary J.; Chura, Lindsay R.; Calder, Andrew J.; Suckling, John; Bullmore, Edward T.; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2012-01-01

Atypical activation during the Embedded Figures Task has been demonstrated in autism, but has not been investigated in siblings or related to measures of clinical severity. We identified atypical activation during the Embedded Figures Task in participants with autism and unaffected siblings compared with control subjects in a number of temporal and frontal brain regions. Autism and sibling groups, however, did not differ in terms of activation during this task. This suggests that the pattern of atypical activation identified may represent a functional endophenotype of autism, related to familial risk for the condition shared between individuals with autism and their siblings. We also found that reduced activation in autism relative to control subjects in regions including associative visual and face processing areas was strongly correlated with the clinical severity of impairments in reciprocal social interaction. Behavioural performance was intact in autism and sibling groups. Results are discussed in terms of atypical information processing styles or of increased activation in temporal and frontal regions in autism and the broader phenotype. By separating the aspects of atypical activation as markers of familial risk for the condition from those that are autism-specific, our findings offer new insight into the factors that might cause the expression of autism in families, affecting some children but not others. PMID:23065480

Intralocus sexual conflict over human height

PubMed Central

Stulp, Gert; Kuijper, Bram; Buunk, Abraham P.; Pollet, Thomas V.; Verhulst, Simon

2012-01-01

Intralocus sexual conflict (IASC) occurs when a trait under selection in one sex constrains the other sex from achieving its sex-specific fitness optimum. Selection pressures on body size often differ between the sexes across many species, including humans: among men individuals of average height enjoy the highest reproductive success, while shorter women have the highest reproductive success. Given its high heritability, IASC over human height is likely. Using data from sibling pairs from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we present evidence for IASC over height: in shorter sibling pairs (relatively) more reproductive success (number of children) was obtained through the sister than through the brother of the sibling pair. By contrast, in average height sibling pairs most reproductive success was obtained through the brother relative to the sister. In conclusion, we show that IASC over a heritable, sexually dimorphic physical trait (human height) affects Darwinian fitness in a contemporary human population. PMID:22875819

Sibling conflict and dishonest signaling in birds

PubMed Central

West, Stuart A.

2016-01-01

Offspring survival can often depend on successful communication with parents about their state of need. Theory suggests that offspring will be less likely to honestly signal their need when they experience greater competition from either a greater number of nestmates or less-related nestmates. We found support for this hypothesis with a comparative analysis, examining data from across 60 species of birds. We found that offspring are less honest about their level of need when (i) they face competition from current siblings; (ii) their parents are likely to breed again, and so they are in competition with future siblings; and (iii) parental divorce or death means that they are likely to be less related to future siblings. More generally, these patterns highlight the sensitivity of communication systems to conflict between signaler and receiver while also suggesting that when there is little conflict, natural selection favors the honest. PMID:27821738

Family Resource Allocation after Firstborns Leave Home: Implications for Secondborns' Academic Functioning.

PubMed

Jensen, Alexander C; Whiteman, Shawn D; Bernard, Julia M; McHale, Susan M

2017-09-01

This study assessed secondborn adolescents' perceptions of changes in the allocation of family resources following their firstborn siblings' departure from home after high school, and whether perceived changes were related to changes over 1 year in secondborns' academic functioning. Participants were secondborn siblings (mean age = 16.58, SD = 0.91) from 115 families in which the older sibling had left the family home in the previous year. Allocation of resources was measured via coded qualitative interviews. Most (77%) secondborns reported increases in at least one type of family resource (i.e., parental companionship, attention, material goods), and many reported an increase in multiple types of resources in the year following their older sibling's departure. Consistent with resource dilution theory, perceptions of increases in fathers' companionship, fathers' attention, and mothers' companionship were related to improvements over time in secondborns' academic functioning. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Friends and social contexts as unshared environments: A discordant sibling analysis of obesity- and health-related behaviors in young adolescents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective. This study uses a weight-discordant sibling design to examine the relationships between best friend’s body mass index z-score (zBMI) and siblings’ zBMI and obesity-related health behaviors (energy intake, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages [SSB], physical activity and sedentary time...

A Safety and Tolerability Study of CDX-301 With or Without Plerixafor for Stem Cell Mobilization in Matched Related Allogeneic Donor/Recipient Sibling Transplant Pairs

ClinicalTrials.gov

2017-04-06

For Donors; Related Donors Giving Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC) to a Sibling; For Recipients; Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML); Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL); Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS); Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML); Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL); Hodgkins Disease (HD); Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Teen responses when a younger school-age sibling has been bullied

PubMed Central

Honig, Alice Sterling; Zdunowski-Sjoblom, Nicole

2015-01-01

The prevalence of bullying among children, and the sometimes tragic consequences as a result, has become a major concern in schools. The larger research for this study reported on in-depth interviews with 28 elementary and middle school-age boys and girls (7–12 years) who had experienced various forms of bullying and relational aggression by their peers, mostly on school grounds, and the responses of their parents and teachers. Responses of the children's teen siblings to the younger child's revelations of being bullied are the focus of this report. In-depth interviews with each teen sibling (n = 28) and with each bullied child revealed how the children viewed the teen siblings' supportive strategies. Almost all the children (89%) reported that their older siblings talked with them and offered advice. The teen siblings shared with the younger ones that they too (71%) had been bullied, or they knew someone who had been bullied (18%). Teens gave the advice to ‘bully back’ to 11% and advice to ‘tell someone’ to 32% of the younger children. The children felt quite positive about their older siblings' advice (89%), which did differ depending on the bullied child's gender. Teen siblings gave advice to ‘avoid bullies’ to 77% of female and to 27% of male younger children. PMID:25931644

Joint Attention Initiation with and without Positive Affect: Risk Group Differences and Associations with ASD Symptoms

PubMed Central

Gangi, Devon N.; Ibañez, Lisa V.; Messinger, Daniel S.

2014-01-01

Infants at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may have difficulty integrating smiles into initiating joint attention (IJA) bids. A specific IJA pattern, anticipatory smiling, may communicate preexisting positive affect when an infant smiles at an object and then turns the smile toward the social partner. We compared the development of anticipatory smiling at 8, 10, and 12 months in infant siblings of children with ASD (high-risk siblings) and without ASD (low-risk siblings). High-risk siblings produced less anticipatory smiling than low-risk siblings, suggesting early differences in communicating preexisting positive affect. While early anticipatory smiling distinguished the risk groups, IJA not accompanied by smiling best predicted later severity of ASD-related behavioral characteristics among high-risk siblings. High-risk infants appear to show lower levels of motivation to share positive affect with others. However, facility with initiating joint attention in the absence of a clear index of positive affective motivation appears to be central to the prediction of ASD symptoms. PMID:24281421

Fighting With Siblings and With Peers Among Urban High School Students.

PubMed

Johnson, Renee M; Duncan, Dustin T; Rothman, Emily F; Gilreath, Tamika D; Hemenway, David; Molnar, Beth E; Azrael, Deborah

2015-08-01

Understanding the determinants of fighting is important for prevention efforts. Unfortunately, there is little research on how sibling fighting is related to peer fighting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between sibling fighting and peer fighting. Data are from the Boston Youth Survey 2008, a school-based sample of youth in Boston, MA. To estimate the association between sibling fighting and peer fighting, we ran four multivariate regression models and estimated adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals. We fit generalized estimating equation models to account for the fact that students were clustered within schools. Controlling for school clustering, race/ethnicity, sex, school failure, substance use, and caregiver aggression, youth who fought with siblings were 2.49 times more likely to have reported fighting with peers. To the extent that we can confirm that sibling violence is associated with aggressive behavior, we should incorporate it into violence prevention programming. © The Author(s) 2014.

The family roles of siblings of people diagnosed with a mental disorder: heroes and lost children.

PubMed

Sanders, Avihay; Szymanski, Kate; Fiori, Kate

2014-08-01

In order to cope with the diagnosis of mental illness in a family member, siblings may be forced to adjust their roles in the family. Taking into account the crucial role that some siblings play in caregiving for the mentally ill especially when the parents are no longer available, it is imperative to develop awareness of their unique needs and address them. Thirty-three adult siblings of people diagnosed with a mental disorder completed the Role Behaviour Inventory (RBI) and a general questionnaire including open-ended questions regarding the roles they played in their families of origin. Findings from the inventory and general questionnaire suggest that the well siblings score higher on two roles, the Hero and Lost Child, and lower on the Mascot and Scapegoat roles relative to a comparison group (N = 33). Being a sibling caregiver emerged as a risk factor to assume certain dysfunctional roles in the family. Implications for future research and therapy are discussed. © 2013 International Union of Psychological Science.

Interrelations between siblings and parents in families living with children with cancer.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kyoko; Hayakawa, Akira; Hohashi, Naohiro

2015-02-01

Having a child diagnosed with cancer is a stressful event for the family. This exploratory multimethod study utilized both quantitative and qualitative multiinformant methodologies to investigate the relationships between parental family functioning and siblings' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to describe interrelations between the experiences of parents and siblings of children with childhood cancer. A total of 14 Japanese families participated in the quantitative study, and 4 families of the 14 participated in the qualitative study. In-depth, semistructured interviews revealed three family-unit stages during the time course of the ill child's treatment that included particular parent-sibling interrelations. We also found strong correlation between parental family functioning and siblings' HRQOL in the quantitative study. The results suggest the importance of family nursing interventions directed to individual family members and the family unit that focus on strengthening the parent-sibling relationship and supporting families who are experiencing childhood cancer. © The Author(s) 2014.

Predictors of sense of coherence in typically developing adolescent siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Smith, L O; Elder, J H; Storch, E A; Rowe, M A

2015-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be a stressor for family members yet there is little published research on the impact of having a child with ASD on their typically developing (TD) adolescent siblings. According to Antonovsky's salutogenic model, a strong sense of coherence leads to the view that the stressor is a manageable challenge rather than a burden and promotes healthier adaptation. This study examines the relationship between stress, TD sibling resources and the sense of coherence in TD siblings. This quantitative mail-based study uses a survey methodology, analysing the responses of TD adolescent siblings (n = 96) of individuals with autism, Asperger's syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified to several rating scales. Adolescent siblings, ages 11 to 18 years, completed the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experience (ACOPE), Network of Relationship Inventory - Social Provision Version (NRI-SPV), Youth Self Report (YSR), and Sense of Coherence (SOC) instruments; parents completed the Child Autism Rating Scale - 2nd Edition (CARS-2). The salutogenesis model was used to guide and inform this research. Findings suggested the following: (a) the stress of ASD severity and resource of adjustment are related in TD adolescent siblings; (b) TD sibling adjustment has a strong relationship with sense of coherence levels; and (c) a greater number of positive coping strategies buffer TD sibling coherence levels when ASD severity scores are high. ASD severity and TD adolescent sibling resources influence sense of coherence in adolescent TD siblings of individuals with ASD. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is the Risk of Autism in Younger Siblings of Affected Children Moderated by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, or Gestational Age?

PubMed

Xie, Fagen; Peltier, Morgan; Getahun, Darios

2016-10-01

To evaluate the recurrence risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in younger siblings of affected children and determine how it is modified by race/ethnicity and sex. Medical records of children born in a large health maintenance organization (Kaiser Permanent Southern California) hospitals from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2010, and who remained in our system until 2 to 11 years of age were used to assess the risk of recurrence of ASD in younger siblings. Children born at <28 or >42 weeks gestation, multiple births, or those who were not active members for ≥3 months were excluded. ASD diagnosis was ascertained from DSM-IV codes, and the magnitude of the association was estimated using adjusted relative risks (aRRs). Among eligible younger siblings, 592 (1.11%) had the diagnosis of ASD. The ASD rates were 11.30% and 0.92% for younger siblings of older affected and unaffected siblings, respectively (aRR: 14.27; 95% confidence interval, 11.41-17.83). This association remained after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Race/ethnicity- and gestational age-specific analyses revealed a positive association of similar magnitude across groups. Risk remained higher in younger boys than girls regardless of the sex of affected older siblings. The findings of this study suggest that the risk of ASD in younger siblings is higher if the older sibling has ASD. The risk of ASD in younger siblings of older affected siblings was comparable across gestational age at birth and child's race/ethnicity groups. However, risk remains higher for boys. This study contributes to a better understanding of the influence of race/ethnicity, sex, and gestational age at birth in identifying children at higher risk of ASD.

Familial Aggregation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Kamel, Freya; Lichtenstein, Paul; Bellocco, Rino; Sparén, Pär; Sandler, Dale P; Ye, Weimin

2009-01-01

Objective To assess the relative risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in families of ALS patients. Methods We conducted a cohort study based on the Swedish Multi-Generation Register (MGR) in 1961-2005. Among 6,671 probands (first ALS case in the family), 1,909 full siblings, 13,947 children, and 5,405 spouses were identified (exposed group). Other persons in MGR, who were siblings, children, or spouses to persons without ALS, served as the reference group. Relative risks of ALS among the exposed group, compared to the reference group, were calculated from Poisson regression models. Concurrence of ALS within twins was assessed in 86,441 twin pairs registered in the Swedish Twin Register. Results Nine cases of ALS were noted among the siblings and 37 cases among the children of the probands, giving a 17-fold risk among the siblings (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.1-30.4) and a 9-fold risk among the children (95% CI, 6.2-12.0), compared to the reference group. Siblings and children had a higher excess risk if the proband was diagnosed at younger age, and the excess risks decreased with increasing age at diagnosis of the proband (p < 0.001). Spouses had no significantly increased risk (p = 0.27). Two cases were identified among the co-twins of ALS probands, giving a relative risk of 32 (95% CI, 5.2-102.6). Interpretation The siblings and children of ALS patients have an around 10-fold risk of ALS compared to the reference group. The excess risks vary with both age and kinship, indicating a major genetic role in familial ALS. PMID:19670447

Stress in Latino families following an adolescent's childbearing: effects on family relationships and siblings.

PubMed

East, Patricia L; Chien, Nina C

2013-04-01

This study examined how increased stress in Latino families following an adolescent's childbearing impacts family relationships and the adolescent's siblings. Participants were 243 Mexican American youth (mean age: 13.7 years; 62% girls), or 121 youth who had a pregnant adolescent sister and 122 youth who had an adolescent sister who had never been pregnant. Youth and their mothers were studied at 4 time points across 15 months: The families of pregnant adolescents were studied when the adolescent sister was in her third trimester of pregnancy, and at 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum; the families of never-pregnant adolescents were studied at like intervals. Individual fixed-effects structural equation models were computed, which control for earlier measures of study constructs and thereby reduce omitted variable bias from preexisting family group differences. Results showed that an adolescent's childbearing was related to increases in family stress, which were related to increases in mothers' harsh parenting and mother-sibling conflict, which, in turn, were related to subsequent increases in siblings' problem behavior. Multiple group analyses revealed that the pathways through which a teenager's childbearing influences siblings operate similarly for girls and boys. Tests of an alternate ordering of model variables indicated a poor fit with the data. Findings provide evidence that the accumulation of stressful family changes following an adolescent's childbearing can negatively impact siblings. Findings also elucidate how family-level stress and disruption experienced across a family transition trickle down to affect family relationships and, in turn, child family members. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Educational achievement in psychiatric patients and their siblings: a register-based study in 30 000 individuals in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Tempelaar, W M; Termorshuizen, F; MacCabe, J H; Boks, M P M; Kahn, R S

2017-03-01

Poor educational achievement is associated with a range of psychiatric disorders. Several studies suggest that this underperformance is due to cognitive deficits that commence before disease onset and reflect a genetic risk for this disorder. However, the specificity and the familial contribution of this cognitive deficit are not clear. We analysed lifetime educational achievement of psychiatric patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or depressive disorder and their unaffected siblings. In a register-based case-control study, 1561 patients with schizophrenia, 813 patients with bipolar disorder, 8112 patients with depression, and their siblings were each matched with eight population controls. Patients, siblings and controls were compared on the highest educational stream they completed. Lower educational achievement was present in schizophrenia patients from primary school onwards [completing primary school: odds ratio (OR) 0.69; completing secondary school: OR 0.69; completing academic education: OR 0.46], compared to patients with bipolar disorder or depression. Siblings of schizophrenia, bipolar or depressed patients showed no underachievement at primary or secondary school, but siblings of schizophrenia patients as well as siblings of depressed patients were less successful in their educational achievement after secondary school (completing academic education, schizophrenia siblings: OR 0.90; depressive disorder siblings: OR 0.91). Educational underachievement from primary school onwards is specifically related to schizophrenia and not to bipolar disorder or depression. Moreover, it appears to be a harbinger of the illness, since it is not found in their siblings. These results add to evidence that early cognitive deficits are a distinct feature of the schizophrenia phenotype.

Food Allergy Sensitization and Presentation in Siblings of Food Allergic Children.

PubMed

Gupta, Ruchi S; Walkner, Madeline M; Greenhawt, Matthew; Lau, Claudia H; Caruso, Deanna; Wang, Xiaobin; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Smith, Bridget

2016-01-01

Many parents of food allergic children have concerns about the development of food allergies in their other children. We sought to determine prevalence of food sensitization and clinical food allergy among siblings of food allergic children. Two thousand eight hundred and thirty-four children were enrolled in the Chicago Family Cohort Food Allergy study. One thousand one hundred and twenty children (ages 0-21 years) with a food allergy (defined by a reported reaction history and evidence of food-specific IgE or skin prick test) and at least 1 biological sibling were included in this study. Among siblings of children with food allergy, 33.4% had no sensitization and no clinical symptoms to food. Fifty-three percent had a positive food serum-specific IgE or skin prick test, but no reported symptoms of food allergy. Only 13.6% of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to the same food. Milk allergy was the most common allergy among siblings (5.9%), followed by egg allergy (4.4%) and peanut allergy (3.7%). In a large cohort of food allergic families, only a small proportion of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to a food. Sensitization without reactivity was common among siblings. Testing for food allergy in siblings without a history of clinical reactivity appears to be unjustified. Screening may lead to negative consequences related to potential misdiagnosis and unnecessary avoidance of a food. More data are needed to determine the absolute risk of food allergy development in siblings of food allergic children. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All rights reserved.

Food Allergy Sensitization and Presentation in Siblings of Food Allergic Children

PubMed Central

Gupta, Ruchi; Walkner, Maddy; Greenhawt, Matthew; Lau, Claudia; Caruso, Deanna; Wang, Xiaobin; Pongracic, Jacqueline A.; Smith, Bridget

2016-01-01

Background Many parents of food allergic children have concerns about the development of food allergies in their other children. Objective We sought to determine prevalence of food sensitization and clinical food allergy among siblings of food allergic children. Methods Two thousand eight hundred and thirty-four children were enrolled in the Chicago Family Cohort Food Allergy study. One thousand one hundred and twenty children (ages 0–21 years) with a food allergy (defined by a reported reaction history and evidence of food-specific IgE or skin prick test) and at least one biological sibling were included in this study. Results Among siblings of children with food allergy, 33.4% had no sensitization and no clinical symptoms to food. Fifty-three percent had a positive food serum-specific IgE or skin prick test, but no reported symptoms of food allergy. Only 13.6% of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to the same food. Milk allergy was the most common allergy among siblings (5.9%), followed by egg allergy (4.4%) and peanut allergy (3.7%). Conclusions In a large cohort of food allergic families, only a small proportion of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to a food. Sensitization without reactivity was common among siblings. Testing for food allergy in siblings without a history of clinical reactivity appears to be unjustified. Screening may lead to negative consequences related to potential misdiagnosis and unnecessary avoidance of a food. More data are needed to determine the absolute risk of food allergy development in siblings of food allergic children. PMID:27421900

Maternal perceptions of sibling adaptation in Korean families of children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Choi, H; Van Riper, M

2014-10-01

It is estimated that more than 500 infants with Down syndrome (DS) are born each year in Korea. DS affects not only these individuals, but family members as well. Some siblings deal successfully with the challenges of living with a child with DS and adapt well while others struggle or fail to adapt. The aims of this descriptive study were to explore how Korean mothers of children with DS perceive the adaptation of their typically developing (TD) children aged 4 to 19 and how family variables contribute to sibling adaptation. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 105 Korean mothers. Most mothers indicated that their TD children were not experiencing psychological or behavioural problems; however, many described problems in the sibling relationship. It was found that family factors (i.e. condition management effort, condition management ability, child's daily life, parental mutuality, family hardiness and social support) were strong predictors of sibling psychological, behavioural and relational adaptation. Demographic characteristics of the child with DS, the mother and the family appeared to significantly influence sibling adaptation. These findings highlight the importance of familial contexts in understanding sibling adaptation. Knowledge of family factors associated with better adaptation in Korean siblings of child with DS will facilitate the development of culturally appropriate interventions for these children and their families. In addition, an awareness of demographic characteristics associated with sibling adaptation will help health care professionals identify siblings who are at increased risk of experiencing difficulties in adapting. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder: do siblings matter?

PubMed

Matthews, Nicole L; Goldberg, Wendy A; Lukowski, Angela F

2013-10-01

Research indicates a positive relation between the sibling constellation and theory of mind (ToM) development in typically developing (TD) children. Less is known about this association in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined the association among the presence and number of siblings, birth order, and false belief (FB) understanding in children with ASD and a TD comparison group. Two FB tasks (change of contents and change of location) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test were administered to 57 children with ASD and 28 TD children during a home visit. One parent of each child reported on demographics and the sibling constellation. Separate hierarchical regressions controlled for age, receptive language ability, and scores on the Social Communication Questionnaire. In children with ASD, no association was observed between presence or number of siblings and ToM. However, the presence of older (but not younger) siblings was found to be positively associated with ToM. Children with ASD who had at least one older sibling performed similarly to the TD group, whereas children with ASD who had no older siblings performed significantly worse than the TD group. These findings indicate an advantage for FB performance in children with ASD who have an older sibling. They may bear on decisions to include older siblings or peers in intervention programs and may also contribute to a more complete understanding of the origins of individual differences in ToM ability in children with ASD. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Levels of Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in Patients With Psychosis, Their Unaffected Siblings, and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Medema, Suzanne; Mocking, Roel J. T.; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; Vaz, Frédéric M.; Meijer, Carin; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Beveren, Nico J. M.; Kahn, René; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Os, Jim; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Cahn, Wiepke; Meijer, Carin; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-01-01

Background: Two recent meta-analyses showed decreased red blood cell (RBC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) in schizophrenia and related disorders. However, both these meta-analyses report considerable heterogeneity, probably related to differences in patient samples between studies. Here, we investigated whether variations in RBC FA are associated with psychosis, and thus may be an intermediate phenotype of the disorder. Methods: For the present study, a total of 215 patients (87% outpatients), 187 siblings, and 98 controls were investigated for multiple FA analyses. Based on previous studies, we investigated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA), nervonic acid (NA), and eicasopentaenoic acid (EPA). On an exploratory basis, a large number of additional FA were investigated. Multilevel mixed models were used to compare the FA between the 3 groups. Results: Compared to controls, both patients and siblings showed significantly increased DHA, DPA, AA, and NA. LA was significantly higher in siblings compared to controls. EPA was not significantly different between the 3 groups. Also the exploratory FA were increased in patients and siblings. Conclusions: We found increased RBC FA DHA, DPA, AA, and NA in patients and siblings compared to controls. The direction of change is similar in both patients and siblings, which may suggest a shared environment and/or an intermediate phenotype. Differences between patient samples reflecting stage of disorder, dietary patterns, medication use, and drug abuse are possible modifiers of FA, contributing to the heterogeneity in findings concerning FA in schizophrenia patients. PMID:26385764

Profiles of executive function in parents and siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Wong, D; Maybery, M; Bishop, D V M; Maley, A; Hallmayer, J

2006-11-01

Delineation of a cognitive endophenotype for autism is useful both for exploring the genetic mechanisms underlying the disorder and for identifying which cognitive traits may be primary to it. This study investigated whether first-degree relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) demonstrate a specific profile of performance on a range of components of executive function (EF), to determine whether EF deficits represent possible endophenotypes for autism. Parents and siblings of ASD and control probands were tested on EF tasks measuring planning, set-shifting, inhibition and generativity. ASD parents showed poorer performance than control parents on a test of ideational fluency or generativity, and ASD fathers demonstrated a weakness in set-shifting to a previously irrelevant dimension. ASD siblings revealed a mild reduction in ideational fluency and a weakness in non-verbal generativity when compared with control siblings. Neither ASD parents nor siblings displayed significant difficulties with planning or inhibition. These results indicated that the broad autism phenotype may not be characterized primarily by impairments in planning and cognitive flexibility, as had been previously proposed. Weaknesses in generativity emerged as stronger potential endophenotypes in this study, suggesting that this aspect of EF should play a central role in cognitive theories of autism. However, discrepancies in the EF profile demonstrated by parents and siblings suggest that factors related to age or parental responsibility may affect the precise pattern of deficits observed.

A multilevel analysis of health-related physical fitness. The Portuguese sibling study on growth, fitness, lifestyle and health

PubMed Central

Pereira, Sara; Todd Katzmarzyk, Peter; Gomes, Thayse Natacha; Souza, Michele; Chaves, Raquel Nichele; dos Santos, Fernanda Karina; Santos, Daniel; Hedeker, Donald; Maia, José

2017-01-01

This study investigates biological, behavioural and sociodemographic correlates of intra-pair similarities, and estimates sibling resemblance in health-related physical fitness (PF). The sample comprises 1101 biological siblings (525 females) aged 9–20 years. PF components and markers were: morphological [waist circumference (WC) and %body fat (%BF)], muscular [handgrip strength (GS) and standing long jump (SLJ)], motor [50-yard dash (50YD) and shuttle run (SR)], and cardiorespiratory (1-mile run). Biological maturation was assessed; physical activity (PA), TV viewing and socioeconomic status (SES) information was obtained. On average, older and more mature subjects are better performers in all PF components; PA was negatively associated with SR, while SES was negatively associated with SLJ and SR. A pattern was observed in the intraclass correlations (ρ) wherein same sex siblings demonstrate greater resemblance for most PF components (sister-sister: 0.35≤ ρ≤0.55; brother-brother: (0.25≤ρ≤0.60) than brother-sister pairs (BS) (0≤ρ≤0.15), except for %BF (ρBB>ρSS>ρBS), and the 1-mile run (ρSS>ρBS>ρBB). In conclusion, behavioural and sociodemographic correlates play different roles in siblings PF expression. Further, a significant familial PF resemblance was observed with different trends in different sibling types, probably due to variations in shared genetic factors and sociodemographic conditions. PMID:28187195

Choosy Cannibals Preferentially Consume Siblings with Relatively Low Fitness Prospects.

PubMed

Dugas, Matthew B; McCormack, Larkin; Gadau, Alice; Martin, Ryan A

2016-07-01

When an individual can selfishly cannibalize a relative or altruistically set it free, the benefits of altruism will be positively associated with the relative's fitness prospects (the benefits it receives from altruism). We tested the prediction that altruism should be preferentially directed toward high-quality relatives using larvae of the New Mexican spadefoot toad (Spea multiplicata), a species in which tadpoles plastically express omnivore and carnivore ecomorphs. In a no-choice design, we presented carnivores with sibling or nonsibling omnivores varying in developmental stage, which is positively associated with survival in this toad's ephemeral larval environment. There was a significant interaction between relatedness and developmental stage on the probability of cannibalism: carnivores were overall more likely to cannibalize less developed omnivores, but this effect was exaggerated when the potential victim was a sibling. This evidence that altruists favor relatives with high fitness prospects highlights the numerous factors shaping altruism's payoffs.

Caregiver burden and sibling relationships in families raising children with disabilities and typically developing children.

PubMed

Roper, Susanne Olsen; Allred, Diane W; Mandleco, Barbara; Freeborn, Donna; Dyches, Tina

2014-06-01

Using family systems theory as a theoretical framework, we investigated direct and indirect associations between type of disability, caregiver burden, and sibling relationships with structural equation modeling. We recruited 172 families raising typically developing children or a child with a disability. Participants volunteered at meetings and workshops for families of children with disabilities and were also recruited through snowball sampling. Mothers and fathers independently completed self-report questionnaires on caregiver burden and perceptions of the sibling relationship. Mothers experienced higher levels of caregiver burden than fathers. Parents of children with autism reported higher levels of caregiver burden than parents of typically developing children. Mothers of children with Down syndrome and multiple disabilities reported more positive sibling relationships than mothers of typically developing children. Mothers' and fathers' perceptions of caregiver burden were negatively related to their perceptions of the sibling relationship. Caregiver burden mediated the relationship between having a child with autism and positive sibling relationships. Results indicate the benefits of using a systems framework in examining families raising children with disabilities. Future research should focus on interventions for families of children with disabilities that help alleviate parental burden and foster positive sibling relationships.

[Sibling relations in processing sexual trauma: the film "The Celebration"

PubMed

Sohni, H

2001-01-01

Movies appeal as a subject of psychoanalytical art interpretation due to their structural closeness to "scenical understanding" and enrich our Insight into human relationships. The movie Das Pest is worth seeing because of its particular aesthetic form and because of its message about sibling relationships. According to the assessment of film journalists the movie shows the dismantling of middle class society and the reinscenation of destructive violence. In this author's interpretation, however, the movie leads out of passing violence on through the generations and herein differs from numerous current movies about siblings. The movie is about the process of a constructive development in the reciprocal relationships between four siblings and shows this in the formal structure of a film. With countertransference and our "viewing habits" the author discusses why this development could be overlooked. The movie shows neither a sibling fixation nor an idealization of sibling love as a regressive, timeless topos, but rather a horizontal relationship process. This is open towards partners and allows for a conciliatory attitude towards the parents. The movie is able to show this process conclusively under the burden of intergenerational violence and in its creativity enriches our image of sibling relationships.

Land inheritance establishes sibling competition for marriage and reproduction in rural Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Gibson, Mhairi A.; Gurmu, Eshetu

2011-01-01

Intergenerational transfer of wealth has been proposed as playing a pivotal role in the evolution of human sibling relationships. Sibling rivalry is assumed to be more marked when offspring compete for limited heritable resources, which are crucial for reproductive success (e.g., land and livestock); whereas in the absence of heritable wealth, related siblings may cooperate. To date, comparative studies undertaken to support this evolutionary assumption have been confounded by other socioecological factors, which vary across populations, e.g., food sharing and intergroup conflict. In this article we explore effects of sibling competition and cooperation for agricultural resources, marriage, and reproduction in one contemporary Ethiopian agropastoralist society. Here recent changes in land tenure policy, altering transfers of land from parents to offspring, present a unique framework to test the importance of intergenerational transfers of wealth in driving sibling competition, while controlling for socioeconomic biases. In households where land is inherited, the number of elder brothers reduces a man's agricultural productivity, marriage, and reproductive success, as resources diminish and competition increases with each additional sibling. Where land is not inherited (for males receiving land directly from the government and all females) older siblings do not have a competitive effect and in some instances may be beneficial. This study has wider implications for the evolution of human family sizes. Recent changes in wealth transfers, which have driven sibling competition, may be contributing to an increased desire for smaller family sizes. PMID:21262826

Land inheritance establishes sibling competition for marriage and reproduction in rural Ethiopia.

PubMed

Gibson, Mhairi A; Gurmu, Eshetu

2011-02-08

Intergenerational transfer of wealth has been proposed as playing a pivotal role in the evolution of human sibling relationships. Sibling rivalry is assumed to be more marked when offspring compete for limited heritable resources, which are crucial for reproductive success (e.g., land and livestock); whereas in the absence of heritable wealth, related siblings may cooperate. To date, comparative studies undertaken to support this evolutionary assumption have been confounded by other socioecological factors, which vary across populations, e.g., food sharing and intergroup conflict. In this article we explore effects of sibling competition and cooperation for agricultural resources, marriage, and reproduction in one contemporary Ethiopian agropastoralist society. Here recent changes in land tenure policy, altering transfers of land from parents to offspring, present a unique framework to test the importance of intergenerational transfers of wealth in driving sibling competition, while controlling for socioeconomic biases. In households where land is inherited, the number of elder brothers reduces a man's agricultural productivity, marriage, and reproductive success, as resources diminish and competition increases with each additional sibling. Where land is not inherited (for males receiving land directly from the government and all females) older siblings do not have a competitive effect and in some instances may be beneficial. This study has wider implications for the evolution of human family sizes. Recent changes in wealth transfers, which have driven sibling competition, may be contributing to an increased desire for smaller family sizes.

Are there individual and sibling differences in appraisals of interparental conflict?

PubMed

Lucas-Thompson, Rachel G; George, Melissa W

2017-10-01

Despite decades of empirical literature documenting the harmful effects of frequent, intense, violent, and unresolved interparental conflict on children's adjustment, there is considerable variability in the extent to which marital conflict contributes to the development of children's emotional and behavioral problems. Past research has documented links between properties of interparental conflict itself (e.g., intensity, frequency), children's appraisals of conflict, and children's outcomes, yet less is known about the role of individual and family characteristics in predicting children's conflict appraisals. Sibling studies may be especially helpful in understanding these individual differences yet are notably lacking in marital conflict research. The current study examines individual- and family-characteristic predictors of adolescents' appraisals of conflict in a study of 153 adolescents as well as sibling similarities in conflict appraisals in a subsample of 50 pairs of siblings. Controlling for parent reports of the frequency, intensity, and resolution of interparental conflict, parent-child relationship quality and stressful life events predicted conflict appraisals. In addition, there was nonindependence of sibling appraisals of conflict properties, but self-blame and threat appraisals appeared independent across siblings. Greater discrepancies in siblings' conflict appraisals were related to more negative marital conflict and discrepancies in parent-child relationship quality, and were found in mixed-sex sibling dyads. Implications for future studies on factors that impact children's appraisals of conflict and in particular making use of sibling studies to examine shared environmental and individual influences on appraisals is highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Having a sibling as donor: patients' experiences immediately before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Kisch, Annika; Bolmsjö, Ingrid; Lenhoff, Stig; Bengtsson, Mariette

2014-08-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offers a potential cure for a variety of diseases but is also associated with significant risks. With HSCT the donor is either a relative, most often a sibling, or an unrelated registry donor. The aim was to explore patients' experiences, immediately before transplantation, regarding having a sibling as donor. Ten adult patients with sibling donors were interviewed before admission for HSCT. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to qualitative content analysis. The main theme Being in no man's land is a metaphor for the patients' complex situation with its mixture of emotions and thoughts prior to transplantation. The three subthemes Trust in the sibling donor, Concern about others and Loss of control cover the various experiences. The patient's experiences are influenced by their personal situation and the quality of the relationship with the sibling donor. While patients feel secure in having a sibling donor, they are dependent for their survival on the cell donation and feel responsible for the donor's safety during donation. These emotions intensify the patients' sense of dependency and loss of control. In caring for HSCT patients the nurses should be aware of the complexity of the patients' situation and keep in mind that having a sibling donor might imply extra pressure, including a sense of responsibility. Caring for both patients and sibling donors optimally is a challenge, which needs further improvement and exploration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caregiving, perceptions of maternal favoritism, and tension among siblings.

PubMed

Suitor, J Jill; Gilligan, Megan; Johnson, Kaitlin; Pillemer, Karl

2014-08-01

Studies of later-life families have revealed that sibling tension often increases in response to parents' need for care. Both theory and research on within-family differences suggest that when parents' health declines, sibling relations may be affected by which children assume care and whether siblings perceive that the parent favors some offspring over others. In the present study, we explore the ways in which these factors shape sibling tension both independently and in combination during caregiving. In this article, we use data collected from 450 adult children nested within 214 later-life families in which the offspring reported that their mothers needed care within 2 years prior to the interview. Multilevel analyses demonstrated that providing care and perceiving favoritism regarding future caregiving were associated with sibling tension following mothers' major health events. Further, the effects of caregiving on sibling tension were greater when perceptions of favoritism were also present. These findings shed new light on the conditions under which adult children are likely to experience high levels of sibling tension during caregiving. Understanding these processes is important because siblings are typically the individuals to whom caregivers are most likely to turn for support when assuming care of older parents, yet these relationships are often a major source of interpersonal stress. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Younger Siblings of Teenage Mothers: A Follow-up of Their Pregnancy Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

East, Patricia L.; Jacobson, Leanne J.

2001-01-01

Followed for 1.5 years younger siblings of parenting and nonparenting teenagers. Found that relative to other youths, sisters of parenting teens exhibited a sharp increase in drug and alcohol use and partying behavior across time and had the highest pregnancy rate at Time 2. For girls, many hours spent caring for their sisters' children related to…

Exploring the Association between Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children.

PubMed

Berman, Julia; Aran, Adi; Berenstein-Weyel, Tamar; Lebel, Ehud

2016-11-01

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is an idiopathic hip osteonecrosis prevalent in children < age 15 years. The etiology remains incompletely understood, partly because of multiple potential environmental risk factors and partly because of lack of genetic markers. It has been hypothesized that hyperactivity may induce mechanical stress and/or vascular damage at a fragile joint. To assess children with LCPD for markers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) relative to their unaffected comparably aged siblings to exclude the contribution of hyperactive behavior versus environmental and/or genetic factors in LCPD. All children followed in the Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic, and their comparably aged siblings, were recruited. ADHD was assessed using the TOVA computerized test and DSM-IV criteria. Quality of life and sleep disorders as ancillary tests were assessed using the Child Health Questionnaire (Parent Form 50), Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument, and Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale. Sixteen children with LCPD (age 9.1 ± 3.3, 75% males) were compared with their closest-aged siblings (age 9.3 ± 2.6, 30% males). Mean TOVA scores of children with LCPD (-3.79 ± 2.6) and of their non-LCPD siblings (-3.6 ± 4.04) were lower relative to the general population (0 ± 1.8, P < 0.0001). Both group means were in the ADHD range (≤ -1.8) implying that 73% of this LCPD cohort and 53% of their non-LCPD siblings performed in the ADHD range, relative to 3.6% incidence expected in the general population (P < 0.0001). Other test results were similar in both groups. Our findings in a small cohort of children with LCPD and their comparably aged siblings do not support an association between LCPD and ADHD. ADHD markers were equally high in the LCPD children and siblings.

Among-sibling differences in the phenotypes of juvenile fish depend on their location within the egg mass and maternal dominance rank

PubMed Central

Burton, Tim; Hoogenboom, M. O.; Beevers, N. D.; Armstrong, J. D.; Metcalfe, N. B.

2013-01-01

We investigated whether among-sibling differences in the phenotypes of juvenile fish were systematically related to the position in the egg mass where each individual developed during oogenesis. We sampled eggs from the front, middle and rear thirds of the egg mass in female brown trout of known dominance rank. In the resulting juveniles, we then measured traits that are related to individual fitness: body size, social status and standard metabolic rate (SMR). When controlling for differences among females in mean egg size, siblings from dominant mothers were initially larger (and had a lower mass-corrected SMR) if they developed from eggs at the rear of the egg mass. However, heterogeneity in the size of siblings from different positions in the egg mass diminished in lower-ranking females. Location of the egg within the egg mass also affected the social dominance of the resulting juvenile fish, although the direction of this effect varied with developmental age. This study provides the first evidence of a systematic basis for among-sibling differences in the phenotypes of offspring in a highly fecund organism. PMID:23193132

Within-litter differences in personality and physiology relate to size differences among siblings in cavies.

PubMed

Guenther, A; Trillmich, F

2015-06-01

Many aspects of an animal's early life potentially contribute to long-term individual differences in physiology and behaviour. From several studies on birds and mammals it is known that the early family environment is one of the most prominent factors influencing early development. Most of these studies were conducted on highly altricial species. Here we asked whether in the highly precocial cavy (Cavia aperea) the size rank within a litter, i.e. whether an individual is born as the heaviest, the lightest or an intermediate sibling, affects personality traits directly after birth and after independence. Furthermore, we investigated whether individual states (early growth, baseline cortisol and resting metabolic rate) differ between siblings of different size ranks and assessed their relation to personality traits. Siblings of the same litter differed in personality traits as early as three days after birth. Pups born heaviest in the litter were more explorative and in general more risk-prone than their smaller siblings. Physiological state variables were tightly correlated with personality traits and also influenced by the size rank within litter, suggesting that the size relative to littermates constitutes an important factor in shaping an individual's developmental trajectory. Our data add valuable information on how personalities are shaped during early phases of life and indicate the stability of developmentally influenced behavioural and physiological traits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mind-reading difficulties in the siblings of people with Asperger's syndrome: evidence for a genetic influence in the abnormal development of a specific cognitive domain.

PubMed

Dorris, L; Espie, C A E; Knott, F; Salt, J

2004-02-01

Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) includes difficulties in understanding the mental states of others, leading to difficulties in social communication and social relationships. It has also been suggested that the first-degree relatives of those with AS can demonstrate similar difficulties, albeit to a lesser extent. This study examined 'theory of mind' (ToM) abilities in the siblings of children with AS relative to a matched control group. 27 children who had a sibling with AS were administered the children's version of the 'Eyes Test' (Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Stone, & Rutherford, 1999). The control group consisted of 27 children matched for age, sex, and a measure of verbal comprehension, and who did not have a family history of AS/autism. A significant difference was found between the groups on the Eyes Test, the 'siblings' group showing a poorer performance on this measure of social cognition. The difference was more pronounced among female siblings. These results are discussed in terms of the familial distribution of a neuro-cognitive profile associated with AS, which confers varying degrees of social handicap amongst first-degree relatives. The implication of this finding with regard to the autism/AS phenotype is explored, with some discussion of why this neuro-cognitive profile (in combination with corresponding strengths) may have an evolutionary imperative.

Foster care placement change: The role of family dynamics and household composition

PubMed Central

Waid, Jeffrey; Kothari, Brianne H.; Bank, Lew; McBeath, Bowen

2016-01-01

Sibling co-placement and kinship care have each been shown to protect against the occurrence of placement change for youth in substitute care. However, little is known about the effects of different combinations of sibling placement and relative caregiver status on placement change. Nor does the field fully understand how family dynamics may differ in these households. Utilizing data from the Supporting Siblings in Foster Care study, this paper examines family dynamics across four typologies of living composition, and tests the effects of living composition membership on the odds of experiencing a placement change over an 18-month period of time. Findings suggest that across living composition typologies, children who were placed separately from their siblings in non-relative care were more likely to be older, have more extensive placement histories, and experience more placement changes both prior to and during the study than were children in other living composition groups. Family living composition was found to influence the occurrence of placement change. Specifically, children co-placed in kinship care were least likely to experience movement; however, sibling co-placement in non-relative care was also protective. Results reveal the need to conduct additional research into the experiences of children in different family living arrangements, and tailor case management services and supports to children in substitute care accordingly. Implications and future directions are discussed. PMID:27990039

Fast half-sibling population reconstruction: theory and algorithms.

PubMed

Dexter, Daniel; Brown, Daniel G

2013-07-12

Kinship inference is the task of identifying genealogically related individuals. Kinship information is important for determining mating structures, notably in endangered populations. Although many solutions exist for reconstructing full sibling relationships, few exist for half-siblings. We consider the problem of determining whether a proposed half-sibling population reconstruction is valid under Mendelian inheritance assumptions. We show that this problem is NP-complete and provide a 0/1 integer program that identifies the minimum number of individuals that must be removed from a population in order for the reconstruction to become valid. We also present SibJoin, a heuristic-based clustering approach based on Mendelian genetics, which is strikingly fast. The software is available at http://github.com/ddexter/SibJoin.git+. Our SibJoin algorithm is reasonably accurate and thousands of times faster than existing algorithms. The heuristic is used to infer a half-sibling structure for a population which was, until recently, too large to evaluate.

Leukoencephalopathy with thalamus and brainstem involvement and high lactate caused by novel mutations in the EARS2 gene in two siblings.

PubMed

Şahin, Sevim; Cansu, Ali; Kalay, Ersan; Dinçer, Tuba; Kul, Sibel; Çakır, İsmet Miraç; Kamaşak, Tülay; Budak, Gülden Yorgancıoğlu

2016-06-15

Leukoencephalopathy with thalamus and brainstem involvement, and high lactate (LTBL) is a recently identified disease related to mutations in the EARS2 gene encoding glutamyl-tRNA synthetase. We report clinical and radiological findings for two siblings with new pathogenic mutations in the EARS2 gene. Both patients showed symptoms of mild-type disease, but there were clinical differences between the two siblings. While the older brother had hypotonia and delayed developmental milestones, the younger brother had seizures and spasticity in the lower extremities. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were quite similar for the two siblings. MRI findings were specific to LTBL. MRI lesions of the older sibling had regressed over time. Clinical and radiological improvement, as in the previously reported patients with LTBL, may be an important clue for diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Care work versus career work: sibling conflict over getting priorities right.

PubMed

Lashewicz, Bonnie

2011-01-01

As the average age of the Canadian population continues to increase, and providing care at home to frail older adults becomes ever more prevalent, support for family and friend caregivers remains a key social policy issue. Economic support is an important consideration given the impact of caregiving on labour force participation. Yet the caregiving/paid work relationship is not always straightforward. While caregiving often restricts employment, limited attachment to employment may also influence the decision to provide care. Isabel's story, collected as part of a study of sibling views of fairness in sharing parent care as well as parent assets, provides a case study in how siblings give different priority to care work versus career work and what support needs arise including those related to sibling conflict over differing priorities. Isabel claims she sacrificed her career to care for her ailing mother while her siblings argue that through caregiving, Isabel was sheltered from the paid workforce.

Gratitude for help among adult friends and siblings.

PubMed

Rotkirch, Anna; Lyons, Minna; David-Barrett, Tamas; Jokela, Markus

2014-07-06

Although gratitude is a key prosocial emotion reinforcing reciprocal altruism, it has been largely ignored in the empirical literature. We examined feelings of gratitude and the importance of reciprocity in same-sex peer relations. Participants were 772 individuals (189 men; mean age = 28.80) who completed an online survey using a vignette design. We investigated (i) differences in reported gratitude and the importance of reciprocity among same-sex siblings and same-sex friends, and (ii) how relationship closeness moderates these associations. Based on the theory of kin altruism, we expect that people would feel more grateful towards friends than towards their siblings, and that lack of gratitude or failure to pay back a loan would bother more with friends than with siblings, irrespective of emotional closeness. Results showed that levels of gratitude and expectations of reciprocity were higher towards friends compared to siblings. This was the case also after controlling for emotional closeness. Being close generally made participants feel more grateful and expect lower displays of gratitude in the other. Closeness was also strongly associated with emotional gratitude among siblings compared to friends. We conclude that feelings and displays of gratitude have a special role in friendships. Although a close sibling may elicit as much gratitude as a friend does, even a very close friend is not exempt from the logic of reciprocity in the same way that a sibling is.

Childhood maltreatment, adult attachment and psychotic symptomatology: a study in patients, siblings and controls.

PubMed

van Dam, D S; Korver-Nieberg, N; Velthorst, E; Meijer, C J; de Haan, L

2014-11-01

The association between childhood maltreatment (ChM) and psychotic disorders is well established. However, there is an ongoing debate about which factors account for this relationship. One explanation is that the relationship between ChM and psychosis is mediated by adult attachment style. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether adult attachment style mediates the relationship between ChM and positive and negative symptomatology. We investigated the relation between ChM and psychotic symptoms, taking into account levels of (insecure) attachment, in 131 patients with psychotic illness, 123 siblings and 72 controls. ChM was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance were measured using the Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM). In both patients and siblings, ChM predicted positive symptoms and this relationship was partly mediated by attachment style. This relationship was found to be stronger for siblings than for patients. ChM predicted negative symptoms in patients and siblings. In the patient sample, attachment style did not mediate the relationship between ChM and negative symptoms, whereas attachment style was found to be a mediator in the sibling sample. ChM was associated with positive and negative symptomatology in both patients and siblings. Particularly in siblings, the relationship between ChM and psychosis seems to be mediated by adult attachment style. Perhaps attachment style may play a more prominent role on a subclinical level.

Increased Cerebellar Functional Connectivity With the Default-Mode Network in Unaffected Siblings of Schizophrenia Patients at Rest

PubMed Central

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Zhang, Zhikun; Liu, Guiying; Liu, Jianrong; Yu, Liuyu; Xiao, Changqing; Zhao, Jingping

2015-01-01

The default-mode network (DMN) is vital in the neurobiology of schizophrenia, and the cerebellum participates in the high-order cognitive network such as the DMN. However, the specific contribution of the cerebellum to the DMN abnormalities remains unclear in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients. Forty-six unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 healthy controls were recruited for a resting-state scan. The images were analyzed using the functional connectivity (FC) method. The siblings showed significantly increased FCs between the left Crus I and the left superior medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), as well as between the lobule IX and the bilateral MPFC (orbital part) and right superior MPFC compared with the controls. No significantly decreased FC was observed in the siblings relative to the controls. The analyses were replicated in 49 first-episode, drug-naive patients with schizophrenia, and the results showed that the siblings and the patients shared increased FCs between the left Crus I and the left superior MPFC, as well as between the lobule IX and the left MPFC (orbital part) compared with the controls. These findings suggest that increased cerebellar-DMN connectivities emerge earlier than illness onset, which highlight the contribution of the cerebellum to the DMN alterations in unaffected siblings. The shared increased cerebellar-DMN connectivities between the patients and the siblings may be used as candidate endophenotypes for schizophrenia. PMID:25956897

The Indirect Effect of Positive Parenting on the Relationship Between Parent and Sibling Bereavement Outcomes After the Death of a Child.

PubMed

Morris, Adam T; Gabert-Quillen, Crystal; Friebert, Sarah; Carst, Nancy; Delahanty, Douglas L

2016-01-01

Families are referred to pediatric palliative care (PPC) programs when a child is diagnosed with a medical condition associated with less than a full life expectancy. When a child dies, PPC programs typically offer a range of bereavement interventions to these families, often focusing on parents. Currently, it is unclear which factors increase the likelihood that bereaved siblings will experience negative outcomes, limiting the development of empirically supported interventions that can be delivered in PPC programs. The present study explored the relationship between parents' and surviving sibling's mental health symptoms (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], prolonged grief disorder (PGD), and depression symptoms) after a child's death. Additionally, the extent to which parent functioning indirectly impacted sibling functioning through parenting behaviors (i.e., positive parenting and parent involvement) was also examined, with a specific focus on differences based on parent gender. Sixty bereaved parents and siblings (aged 8-18) who enrolled in a PPC program from 2008 to 2013 completed measures of PTSD, PGD, and depression related to the loss of a child/sibling. Siblings also completed a measure of general parenting behaviors. Maternal, but not paternal, symptoms of PTSD and PGD were directly associated with sibling outcomes. Paternal symptoms were associated with sibling symptoms indirectly, through parenting behaviors (i.e., via decreasing positive parenting). These results underscore the importance of examining both maternal and paternal influences after the death of a child, demonstrate differential impact of maternal vs. paternal symptoms on siblings, and stress the importance of addressing postloss symptoms from a family systems perspective. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Runaway Children Twelve Years Later: A Follow-Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Lucy; And Others

1980-01-01

This study was based on intensive interviews with former runaways, nonrunaway siblings, parents, and other relatives. Differences in outcome were found between: (1) runaways and siblings; (2) runaway repeaters and nonrepeaters; and (3) runaways from working-class and middle-class backgrounds. (Author)

Friendship Concept and Community Network Structure among Elementary School and University Students.

PubMed

Hernández-Hernández, Ana María; Viga-de Alva, Dolores; Huerta-Quintanilla, Rodrigo; Canto-Lugo, Efrain; Laviada-Molina, Hugo; Molina-Segui, Fernanda

2016-01-01

We use complex network theory to study the differences between the friendship concepts in elementary school and university students. Four friendship networks were identified from surveys. Three of these networks are from elementary schools; two are located in the rural area of Yucatán and the other is in the urban area of Mérida, Yucatán. We analyzed the structure and the communities of these friendship networks and found significant differences among those at the elementary schools compared with those at the university. In elementary schools, the students make friends mainly in the same classroom, but there are also links among different classrooms because of the presence of siblings and relatives in the schools. These kinds of links (sibling-friend or relative-friend) are called, in this work, "mixed links". The classification of the communities is based on their similarity with the classroom composition. If the community is composed principally of students in different classrooms, the community is classified as heterogeneous. These kinds of communities appear in the elementary school friendship networks mainly because of the presence of relatives and siblings. Once the links between siblings and relatives are removed, the communities resembled the classroom composition. On the other hand, the university students are more selective in choosing friends and therefore, even when they have friends in the same classroom, those communities are quite different to the classroom composition. Also, in the university network, we found heterogeneous communities even when the presence of sibling and relatives is negligible. These differences made up a topological structure quite different at different academic levels. We also found differences in the network characteristics. Once these differences are understood, the topological structure of the friendship network and the communities shaped in an elementary school could be predicted if we know the total number of students and the ties between siblings and relatives. However, at the university, we cannot do the same. This discovery implies that friendship is a dynamic concept that produces several changes in the friendship network structure and the way that people make groups of friends; it provides the opportunity to give analytic support to observational studies. Communities were also studied by gender and we found that when the links among relatives and siblings were removed, the number of communities formed by one gender alone increased. At the university, many communities formed by students of the same gender were also found.

Care at End of Life Influences Grief: A Nationwide Long-Term Follow-Up among Young Adults Who Lost a Brother or Sister to Childhood Cancer.

PubMed

Lövgren, Malin; Sveen, Josefin; Nyberg, Tommy; Eilegård Wallin, Alexandra; Prigerson, Holly G; Steineck, Gunnar; Kreicbergs, Ulrika

2018-02-01

A majority of cancer-bereaved siblings report long-term unresolved grief, thus it is important to identify factors that may contribute to resolving their grief. To identify modifiable or avoidable family and care-related factors associated with unresolved grief among siblings two to nine years post loss. This is a nationwide Swedish postal survey. Study-specific questions and the standardized instrument Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Primary outcome was unresolved grief, and family and care-related factors were used as predictors. Cancer-bereaved sibling (N = 174) who lost a brother/sister to childhood cancer during 2000-2007 in Sweden (participation rate 73%). Seventy-three were males and 101 females. The age of the siblings at time of loss was 12-25 years and at the time of the survey between 19 and 33 years. Several predictors for unresolved grief were identified: siblings' perception that it was not a peaceful death [odds ratio (OR): 9.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.39-40.65], limited information given to siblings the last month of life (OR: 5.96, 95% CI: 1.87-13.68), information about the impending death communicated the day before it occurred (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.02-7.33), siblings' avoidance of the doctors (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 0.75-13.76), and lack of communication with family (OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.01-8.04) and people outside the family about death (OR: 5.07, 95% CI: 1.64-15.70). Depressive symptoms (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12-1.45) and time since loss (two to four years: OR: 10.36, 95% CI: 2.87-37.48 and five to seven years: OR: 8.36, 95% CI: 2.36-29.57) also predicted unresolved grief. Together, these predictors explained 54% of the variance of unresolved grief. Siblings' perception that it was not a peaceful death and poor communication with family, friends, and healthcare increased the risk for unresolved grief among the siblings.

A comparison of thematic apperceptions of sibling affiliation, conflict, and separation at two periods of adulthood.

PubMed

Bedford, V H

1989-01-01

The quality and stability of sibling relationships during adulthood were assessed by comparing TAT themes of sibling affiliation, conflict, and separation at the period of active child-rearing (CR) and the empty nest (EN). Thirty men and thirty women, divided equally between the two life stages, were randomly selected from a pool of individuals who had a same-sex, closely-spaced sibling. The Sibling Thematic Apperception Test (S-TAT) was developed to elicit underlying feelings about the relationship, because traditional methods of assessment have failed to tap its negative qualities. Contrary to previous findings, results showed no differences in affiliation or conflict theme frequencies between the CR and EN periods. Separation themes, however, were more frequent during the CR than the EN period, suggesting that concerns over separation from siblings reflect a developmental process which might be related to bonding with the family of procreation. Although there were no sex differences within life periods, women's stories about sisters across life period had more conflict themes than did men's stories about brothers.

Emotional Experiences Among Siblings of Children With Rare Disorders.

PubMed

Haukeland, Yngvild B; Fjermestad, Krister W; Mossige, Svein; Vatne, Torun M

2015-08-01

This research aimed to provide new knowledge about the emotional experiences of siblings of children with rare disorders. Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted based on videotapes of 11 support groups for 58 siblings aged 7-17 years (Mage = 11.4 years, SD = 2.4) of children with rare disorders. Participants described contradictory emotions in three main contexts: (1) implications of the disorder (knowledge, medical issues, prognosis); (2) consequences for family life (practical implications, limitations of the child with disorder, perspectives on the sibling relationship); and (3) consequences for social life (reflections about (ab)normality, reactions from others). Passive coping strategies were frequently described relative to active coping strategies. An emerging dilemma for participants was hiding versus sharing emotional experiences. Siblings' emotional experiences are characterized by diverse and contradictory feelings. Interventions to promote emotional health in siblings of children with rare disorder should address this complexity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The needs of siblings of children with cancer: a nursing perspective.

PubMed

O'Shea, Eileen R; Shea, Joyce; Robert, Tracey; Cavanaugh, Cathleen

2012-01-01

Findings from research studies on the needs of siblings of children with cancer have highlighted the imperative that these siblings be supported and involved in the plan of care when a diagnosis of cancer is made. However, few studies have included the perspective of the nurse when evaluating sibling needs or identifying interventions used to meet the needs. This qualitative descriptive study used a combination of individual interviews and a focus group to capture perspectives from 13 pediatric oncology nurses employed at a leading Children's Hospital located in the northeast. Transcripts were analyzed for content and theme in relation to the 2 research questions. Needs identified included getting attention, wanting to know, having fears/worries, feeling at fault, wanting to help, and wanting a normal routine, whereas interventions identified included recognizing their needs, getting siblings involved, sharing appropriate information, being a resource, giving support, and bending the rules. Findings support previous studies that document the variety of needs experienced by siblings of children with cancer and offer examples of nursing interventions to meet these needs.

Well-being of Sibling Caregivers: Effects of Kinship Relationship and Race.

PubMed

Namkung, Eun Ha; Greenberg, Jan S; Mailick, Marsha R

2017-08-01

This study examined whether caregiving has a differential effect on the well-being of sibling caregivers relative to other caregiving groups and whether race moderates this effect. Using the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, 631 family caregivers (including 61 sibling caregivers) and 4,944 noncaregivers were identified. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of the caregiver-care recipient relationship and its interaction with race on caregivers' well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-rated health, life satisfaction, and perceived control over life). Caregivers in general reported poorer well-being than noncaregivers, but sibling caregivers were less affected by caregiving than parent or spouse caregivers. Among sibling caregivers, caregiving took a significantly greater toll on non-Hispanic White caregivers than those from minority groups with respect to depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. The findings suggest that the experience of sibling caregivers is significantly shaped by their cultural background. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of residential instability on Head Start children and their relationships with older siblings: influences of child emotionality and conflict between family caregivers.

PubMed

Stoneman, Z; Brody, G H; Churchill, S L; Winn, L L

1999-01-01

This study examined the influence that residential dislocations have on child behavior problems, depression, peer competence, cognitive competence, and the quality of sibling relations in a sample of 70 Head Start children, aged 32 to 67 months, and their older brothers and sisters, aged 48 to 155 months. This was the first study to investigate the sibling relationship in the context of high residential mobility. Information on child characteristics was obtained from mothers and teachers. Sibling data (warmth/harmony and conflict) were obtained from coding videotaped interactions. Child emotionality was found to be an important moderator of the effects of residential mobility on young, poor children and their siblings; caregiver conflict was a less powerful moderator of these effects. Residential instability seemed to compromise the warmth/harmony of the sibling relationship. It was concluded that the effects of residential instability are complex and cannot be understood without considering child characteristics, such as temperament, and the family context in which the child lives.

Occupational outcomes of adult childhood cancer survivors: A report from the childhood cancer survivor study.

PubMed

Kirchhoff, Anne C; Krull, Kevin R; Ness, Kirsten K; Park, Elyse R; Oeffinger, Kevin C; Hudson, Melissa M; Stovall, Marilyn; Robison, Leslie L; Wickizer, Thomas; Leisenring, Wendy

2011-07-01

The authors examined whether survivors from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were less likely to be in higher-skill occupations than a sibling comparison and whether certain survivors were at higher risk for lower-skill jobs. The authors created 3 mutually exclusive occupational categories for participants aged ≥ 25 years: Managerial/Professional, Nonphysical Service/Blue Collar, and Physical Service/Blue Collar. The authors examined currently employed survivors (4845) and their siblings (1727) in multivariable generalized linear models to evaluate the likelihood of being in 1 of the 3 occupational categories. Multinomial logistic regression was used among all participants to examine the likelihood of these outcomes compared to being unemployed (survivors, 6671; siblings, 2129). Multivariable linear models were used to assess survivor occupational differences by cancer-  and treatment-related variables. Personal income was compared by occupation. Employed survivors were less often in higher-skilled Managerial/Professional occupations (relative risk, 0.93; 95% confidence interval 0.89-0.98) than their siblings. Survivors who were black, were diagnosed at a younger age, or had high-dose cranial radiation were less likely to hold Managerial/Professional occupations than other survivors. In multinomial models, female survivors' likelihood of being in full-time Managerial/Professional occupations (27%) was lower than male survivors (42%) and female (41%) and male (50%) siblings. Survivors' personal income was lower than siblings within each of the 3 occupational categories in models adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Adult childhood cancer survivors are employed in lower-skill jobs than siblings. Survivors with certain treatment histories are at higher risk for lower-skill jobs and may require vocational assistance throughout adulthood. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

How Do Growth and Sibling Competition Affect Telomere Dynamics in the First Month of Life of Long-Lived Seabird?

PubMed Central

Mizutani, Yuichi; Niizuma, Yasuaki; Yoda, Ken

2016-01-01

Telomeres are nucleotide sequences located at the ends of chromosomes that promote genome stability. Changes in telomere length (dynamics) are related to fitness or life expectancy, and telomere dynamics during the development phase are likely to be affected by growth and stress factors. Here, we examined telomere dynamics of black-tailed gull chicks (Larus crassirostris) in nests with and without siblings. We found that the initial telomere lengths of singletons at hatching were longer than those of siblings, indicating that singletons are higher-quality chicks than siblings in terms of telomere length. Other factors likely affecting individual quality (i.e., sex, laying date, laying order of eggs, and clutch size) were not related to telomere lengths. Within broods, initial telomere lengths were longer in older chicks than in younger chicks, suggesting that maternal effects, which vary with laying sequence, influence the initial lengths. Additionally, telomeres of chicks with a sibling showed more attrition between hatching and fledging than those of singleton chicks, suggesting that being raised with siblings can cause a sustained competitive environment that leads to telomere loss. High growth rates were associated with a low degree of telomere shortening observed in older siblings, perhaps because slower growth reflects higher food stress and/or higher aerobic metabolism from increased begging effort. Our results show that developmental telomere attrition was an inevitable consequence in two-chick nests in the pre- and post-hatching microenvironments due to the combination of social stress within the nest and maternal effects. The results of our study shed light on telomere dynamics in early life, which may represent an important physiological undercurrent of life-history traits. PMID:27902754

Levels of Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in Patients With Psychosis, Their Unaffected Siblings, and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Medema, Suzanne; Mocking, Roel J T; Koeter, Maarten W J; Vaz, Frédéric M; Meijer, Carin; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Beveren, Nico J M; Kahn, René; de Haan, Lieuwe; van Os, Jim; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Cahn, Wiepke; Meijer, Carin; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-03-01

Two recent meta-analyses showed decreased red blood cell (RBC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) in schizophrenia and related disorders. However, both these meta-analyses report considerable heterogeneity, probably related to differences in patient samples between studies. Here, we investigated whether variations in RBC FA are associated with psychosis, and thus may be an intermediate phenotype of the disorder. For the present study, a total of 215 patients (87% outpatients), 187 siblings, and 98 controls were investigated for multiple FA analyses. Based on previous studies, we investigated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA), nervonic acid (NA), and eicasopentaenoic acid (EPA). On an exploratory basis, a large number of additional FA were investigated. Multilevel mixed models were used to compare the FA between the 3 groups. Compared to controls, both patients and siblings showed significantly increased DHA, DPA, AA, and NA. LA was significantly higher in siblings compared to controls. EPA was not significantly different between the 3 groups. Also the exploratory FA were increased in patients and siblings. We found increased RBC FA DHA, DPA, AA, and NA in patients and siblings compared to controls. The direction of change is similar in both patients and siblings, which may suggest a shared environment and/or an intermediate phenotype. Differences between patient samples reflecting stage of disorder, dietary patterns, medication use, and drug abuse are possible modifiers of FA, contributing to the heterogeneity in findings concerning FA in schizophrenia patients. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using Birth Order and Sibling Dynamics in Career Counseling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Richard W.

1982-01-01

Discusses birth order as a determinant of occupational roles. Considers the first- and second-born experience in relation to occupational status and choice. Explores sibling dynamics and the need for striving for significance in the family. Discusses identification and analysis of family constellations. (RC)

Children's Perceptions of the Qualities of Sibling Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furman, Wyndol; Buhrmester, Duane

1985-01-01

Developed a framework for describing and assessing the qualities of sibling relationships by interviewing upper elementary school children and administering a self-report questionnaire to fifth- and sixth-grade children. Component analysis yielded four underlying factors: warmth/closeness, relative status/power, conflict, and rivalry. Relative…

Siblings of the Handicapped: Maladjustment and Its Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannah, Mary Elizabeth; Midlarsky, Elizabeth

1987-01-01

The mental health consequences of having a handicapped brother or sister and factors that may be related to psychological adjustment are discussed. Also explored are the use of parental consultation, behavior modification, and discussion groups as potential intervention strategies with siblings of the handicapped. (Author)

Within-family obesity associations: evaluation of parent, child, and sibling relationships.

PubMed

Pachucki, Mark C; Lovenheim, Michael F; Harding, Matthew

2014-10-01

How parent and sibling obesity status comparatively shape a child's obesity is unknown. To investigate how the obesity status of different children within the same family is related to a parent or sibling's obesity. A national sample of adults in 10,244 American households was surveyed during 2011; data were analyzed in 2012-2013. Of these households, 1,948 adults had one or two children; provided sociodemographic information; and reported on adult and child height and weight, physical activity, and food environment. Logistic regression models were estimated in which the outcome of interest was child obesity status, with parent and sibling obesity as key predictors, adjusting for a range of both adult and child social and demographic confounders. In one-child households, it was 2.2 times more likely (SE=0.5) that the child would be obese if a parent was obese. In households with two children, having an obese younger sibling was more strongly associated with elder-child obesity (OR=5.4, SE=1.9) than parent's obesity status (OR=2.3, SE=0.8). Having an obese elder sibling was associated with younger-child obesity (OR=5.6, SE=1.9), and parent obesity status was no longer significant. Within-family sibling obesity was more strongly patterned between siblings of the same gender than between different genders, and child physical activity was significantly associated with obesity status. Considering offspring composition and sibling gender may be beneficial in childhood obesity prevention and intervention. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Power and conflict resolution in sibling, parent-child, and spousal negotiations.

PubMed

Recchia, Holly E; Ross, Hildy S; Vickar, Marcia

2010-10-01

This study used a within-family observational design to examine conflict strategies (planning, opposition) and resolutions (standoff, win-loss, compromise) across family subsystems, with an emphasis on power differences between parents and children during relatively symmetrical within-generation (spousal, sibling) and relatively asymmetrical between-generation (parent-child) dyadic interactions. Up to six dyads in 67 families (children's ages ranging from 3 to 12 years) discussed an unresolved conflict. Results revealed that within-generation discussions ended more in standoff, whereas between-generation discussions ended with more win-loss resolutions. Multilevel analyses indicated that parents engaged in more planning and opposition than children; however, they opposed more and planned less with their spouses than their children. In general, more planning and less opposition were associated with achieving resolutions rather than failing to resolve differences. Some effects were qualified by within-family differences between mothers versus fathers and older versus younger siblings, as well as between-family differences in younger siblings' age. Implications for theories of power and family relationship dynamics are discussed.

Play as a mechanism of working through medical trauma for children with medical illnesses and their siblings.

PubMed

Nabors, Laura; Bartz, Jennifer; Kichler, Jessica; Sievers, Rebecca; Elkins, Rebecca; Pangallo, Jordan

2013-09-01

Children's reactions to medical trauma have been recorded through play. In this study, participants were 15 children with medical illnesses, 14 siblings of children with a medical illness, and 6 children in the community who did not have any ill family members. Children participated in play groups and their play with medical toys was videotaped and coded for themes that would provide a window on their perspectives. The play of children with medical illnesses and siblings was similar. Medical play was a mechanism for imaginal coping and working through stress related to medical experiences. In contrast, children in the comparison group did not engage in much medical play and when they did, they did not demonstrate a rich play experience with detailed medical stories. Future research should focus on ways to use play therapy techniques to help medically ill children and their siblings cope with their feelings and reactions to medical events related to chronic illness.

The power of siblings and caregivers: under-explored types of social support among children affected by HIV and AIDS.

PubMed

Sharer, Melissa; Cluver, Lucie; Shields, Joseph J; Ahearn, Frederick

2016-03-01

Children affected by HIV and AIDS have significantly higher rates of mental health problems than unaffected children. There is a need for research to examine how social support functions as a source of resiliency for children in high HIV-prevalence settings such as South Africa. The purpose of this research was to explore how family social support relates to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress (PTS). Using the ecological model as a frame, data were drawn from a 2011 cross-sectional study of 1380 children classified as either orphaned by AIDS and/or living with an AIDS sick family member. The children were from high-poverty, high HIV-prevalent rural and urban communities in South Africa. Social support was analyzed in depth by examining the source (e.g. caregiver, sibling) and the type (e.g. emotional, instrumental, quality). These variables were entered into multiple regression analyses to estimate the most parsimonious regression models to show the relationships between social support and depression, anxiety, and PTS symptoms among the children. Siblings emerged as the most consistent source of social support on mental health. Overall caregiver and sibling support explained 13% variance in depression, 12% in anxiety, and 11% in PTS. Emotional support was the most frequent type of social support associated with mental health in all regression models, with higher levels of quality and instrumental support having the strongest relation to positive mental health outcomes. Although instrumental and quality support from siblings were related to positive mental health, unexpectedly, the higher the level of emotional support received from a sibling resulted in the child reporting more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTS. The opposite was true for emotional support provided via caregivers, higher levels of this support was related to lower levels of all mental health symptoms. Sex was significant in all regressions, indicating the presence of moderation.

The power of siblings and caregivers: under-explored types of social support among children affected by HIV and AIDS

PubMed Central

Sharer, Melissa; Cluver, Lucie; Shields, Joseph J.; Ahearn, Frederick

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Children affected by HIV and AIDS have significantly higher rates of mental health problems than unaffected children. There is a need for research to examine how social support functions as a source of resiliency for children in high HIV-prevalence settings such as South Africa. The purpose of this research was to explore how family social support relates to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress (PTS). Using the ecological model as a frame, data were drawn from a 2011 cross-sectional study of 1380 children classified as either orphaned by AIDS and/or living with an AIDS sick family member. The children were from high-poverty, high HIV-prevalent rural and urban communities in South Africa. Social support was analyzed in depth by examining the source (e.g. caregiver, sibling) and the type (e.g. emotional, instrumental, quality). These variables were entered into multiple regression analyses to estimate the most parsimonious regression models to show the relationships between social support and depression, anxiety, and PTS symptoms among the children. Siblings emerged as the most consistent source of social support on mental health. Overall caregiver and sibling support explained 13% variance in depression, 12% in anxiety, and 11% in PTS. Emotional support was the most frequent type of social support associated with mental health in all regression models, with higher levels of quality and instrumental support having the strongest relation to positive mental health outcomes. Although instrumental and quality support from siblings were related to positive mental health, unexpectedly, the higher the level of emotional support received from a sibling resulted in the child reporting more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTS. The opposite was true for emotional support provided via caregivers, higher levels of this support was related to lower levels of all mental health symptoms. Sex was significant in all regressions, indicating the presence of moderation. PMID:27392006

Altered inhibition-related frontolimbic connectivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

van Velzen, Laura S; de Wit, Stella J; Ćurĉić-Blake, Branislava; Cath, Daniëlle C; de Vries, Froukje E; Veltman, Dick J; van der Werf, Ysbrand D; van den Heuvel, Odile A

2015-10-01

Recent studies have shown that response inhibition is impaired in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and their unaffected siblings, suggesting that these deficits may be considered a cognitive endophenotype of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Structural and functional neural correlates of altered response inhibition have been identified in patients and siblings. This study aims to examine the functional integrity of the response inhibition network in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and their unaffected siblings. Forty-one unmedicated patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, 17 of their unaffected siblings and 37 healthy controls performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Psycho-physiological interaction analysis was used to examine functional connectivity between the following regions of interest: the bilateral inferior frontal gyri, presupplementary motor area, subthalamic nuclei, inferior parietal lobes, anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala. We then used dynamic causal modeling to investigate the directionality of the networks involved. Patients, and to a lesser extent also their unaffected siblings, show altered connectivity between the inferior frontal gyrus and the amygdala during response inhibition. The follow-up dynamic causal modeling suggests a bottom-up influence of the amygdala on the inferior frontal gyrus in healthy controls, whereas processing occurs top-down in patients with obsessive-compulsive, and in both directions in siblings. Our findings suggest that amygdala activation in obsessive-compulsive disorder interferes differently with the task-related recruitment of the inhibition network, underscoring the role of limbic disturbances in cognitive dysfunctions in obsessive-compulsive disorder. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sibling recurrence and the genetic epidemiology of autism

PubMed Central

Constantino, John N.; Zhang, Yi; Frazier, Thomas; Abbacchi, Anna M.; Law, Paul

2010-01-01

Objective Although the symptoms of autism exhibit quantitative distributions in nature, estimates of recurrence risk in families have never previously considered or incorporated quantitative characterization of the autistic phenotype among siblings. Method We report the results of quantitative characterization of 2,920 children from 1,235 families participating in a national volunteer register who met the criteria of having at least one child clinically-affected by an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and at least one full biological sibling. Results The occurrence of a traditionally-defined ASD in an additional child occurred in 10.9% of the families. An additional 20% of non-ASD-affected siblings had a history of language delay, half of whom had exhibited autistic qualities of speech. Quantitative characterization using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) supported previously-reported aggregation of a wide range of subclinical (quantitative) autistic traits among otherwise unaffected children in multiple-incidence families, and a relative absence of quantitative autistic traits among siblings in single-incidence autism families. Girls whose standardized severity ratings fell above a first percentile severity threshold (relative to the general population distribution) were significantly less likely to have elicited community diagnoses than their male counterparts. Conclusions These data suggest that, depending on how it is defined, sibling recurrence in ASD may exceed previously-published estimates, and varies as a function of family type. The results support differences in mechanisms of genetic transmission between simplex and multiplex autism, and advance current understanding of the genetic epidemiology of autism. PMID:20889652

Mexican-origin parents' differential treatment and siblings' adjustment from adolescence to young adulthood.

PubMed

Padilla, Jenny; McHale, Susan M; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J

2016-12-01

Parents' differential treatment is a common family dynamic that has been linked to youth's well-being in childhood and adolescence in European American families. Much less is known, however, about this family process in other ethnic groups. The authors examined the longitudinal associations between parents' differential treatment (PDT) and both depressive symptoms and risky behaviors of Mexican-origin sibling pairs from early adolescence through young adulthood. They also tested the moderating roles of cultural orientations as well as youth age, gender and sibling dyad gender constellation in these associations. Participants were mothers, fathers, and 2 siblings from 246 Mexican-origin families who participated in individual home interviews on 3 occasions over 8 years. Multilevel models revealed that, controlling for dyadic parent-child relationship qualities (i.e., absolute levels of warmth and conflict), adolescents who had less favorable treatment by mothers relative to their sibling reported more depressive symptoms and risky behavior, on average. Findings for fathers' PDT emerged at the within-person level indicating that, on occasions when adolescents experienced less favorable treatment by fathers than usual, they reported more depressive symptoms and risky behavior. However, some of these effects were moderated by youth age and cultural socialization. For example, adolescents who experienced relatively less paternal warmth than their siblings also reported poorer adjustment, but this effect did not emerge for young adults; such an effect also was significant for unfavored youth with stronger but not weaker cultural orientations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Motor co-activation in siblings of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: an imaging endophenotype?

PubMed Central

Wandschneider, Britta; Centeno, Maria; Vollmar, Christian; Symms, Mark; Thompson, Pamela J.; Duncan, John S.

2014-01-01

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is a heritable idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome, characterized by myoclonic jerks and frequently triggered by cognitive effort. Impairment of frontal lobe cognitive functions has been reported in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and their unaffected siblings. In a recent functional magnetic resonance imaging study we reported abnormal co-activation of the motor cortex and increased functional connectivity between the motor system and prefrontal cognitive networks during a working memory paradigm, providing an underlying mechanism for cognitively triggered jerks. In this study, we used the same task in 15 unaffected siblings (10 female; age range 18–65 years, median 40) of 11 of those patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (six female; age range 22–54 years, median 35) and compared functional magnetic resonance imaging activations with 20 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (12 female; age range 23–46 years, median 30.5). Unaffected siblings showed abnormal primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area co-activation with increasing cognitive load, as well as increased task-related functional connectivity between motor and prefrontal cognitive networks, with a similar pattern to patients (P < 0.001 uncorrected; 20-voxel threshold extent). This finding in unaffected siblings suggests that altered motor system activation and functional connectivity is not medication- or seizure-related, but represents a potential underlying mechanism for impairment of frontal lobe functions in both patients and siblings, and so constitutes an endophenotype of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. PMID:25001494

Time Well Spent? Relating Television Use to Children’s Free-Time Activities

PubMed Central

Vandewater, Elizabeth A.; Bickham, David S.; Lee, June H.

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVES This study assessed the claim that children’s television use interferes with time spent in more developmentally appropriate activities. METHODS Data came from the first wave of the Child Development Supplement, a nationally representative sample of children aged 0 to 12 in 1997 (N = 1712). Twenty-four-hour time-use diaries from 1 randomly chosen weekday and 1 randomly chosen weekend day were used to assess children’s time spent watching television, time spent with parents, time spent with siblings, time spent reading (or being read to), time spent doing homework, time spent in creative play, and time spent in active play. Ordinary least squares multiple regression was used to assess the relationship between children’s television use and time spent pursuing other activities. RESULTS Results indicated that time spent watching television both with and without parents or siblings was negatively related to time spent with parents or siblings, respectively, in other activities. Television viewing also was negatively related to time spent doing homework for 7- to 12-year-olds and negatively related to creative play, especially among very young children (younger than 5 years). There was no relationship between time spent watching television and time spent reading (or being read to) or to time spent in active play. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study are among the first to provide empirical support for the assumptions made by the American Academy of Pediatrics in their screen time recommendations. Time spent viewing television both with and without parents and siblings present was strongly negatively related to time spent interacting with parents or siblings. Television viewing was associated with decreased homework time and decreased time in creative play. Conversely, there was no support for the widespread belief that television interferes with time spent reading or in active play. PMID:16452327

Siblings versus parents and friends: longitudinal linkages to adolescent externalizing problems

PubMed Central

Defoe, Ivy N; Keijsers, Loes; Hawk, Skyler T; Branje, Susan; Dubas, Judith Semon; Buist, Kirsten; Frijns, Tom; van Aken, Marcel AG; Koot, Hans M; van Lier, Pol AC; Meeus, Wim

2013-01-01

Background: It is well documented that friends’ externalizing problems and negative parent–child interactions predict externalizing problems in adolescence, but relatively little is known about the role of siblings. This four-wave, multi-informant study investigated linkages of siblings’ externalizing problems and sibling–adolescent negative interactions on adolescents’ externalizing problems, while examining and controlling for similar linkages with friends and parents. Methods: Questionnaire data on externalizing problems and negative interactions were annually collected from 497 Dutch adolescents (M = 13.03 years, SD = 0.52, at baseline), as well as their siblings, mothers, fathers, and friends. Results: Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed modest unique longitudinal paths from sibling externalizing problems to adolescent externalizing problems, for male and female adolescents, and for same-sex and mixed-sex sibling dyads, but only from older to younger siblings. Moreover, these paths were above and beyond significant paths from mother–adolescent negative interaction and friend externalizing problems to adolescent externalizing problems, 1 year later. No cross-lagged paths existed between sibling–adolescent negative interaction and adolescent externalizing problems. Conclusions: Taken together, it appears that especially older sibling externalizing problems may be a unique social risk factor for adolescent externalizing problems, equal in strength to significant parents’ and friends’ risk factors. PMID:23398022

Gamete donation: parents' experiences of searching for their child's donor siblings and donor.

PubMed

Freeman, T; Jadva, V; Kramer, W; Golombok, S

2009-03-01

This study investigates the new phenomenon of parents of donor offspring searching for and contacting their child's 'donor siblings' (i.e. donor offspring conceived by the same donor) and donor. Online questionnaires were completed by 791 parents (39% lone-mother, 35% lesbian-couple, 21% heterosexual-couple, 5% non-specified) recruited via the Donor Sibling Registry; a US-based international registry that facilitates contact between donor conception families who share the same donor. Data were collected on parents' reasons for searching for their child's donor siblings and/or donor, the outcome of these searches and parents' and their child's experiences of any resulting contact. Parents' principal motivation for searching for their child's donor siblings was curiosity and for their donor, enhancing their child's sense of identity. Some parents had discovered large numbers of donor siblings (maximum = 55). Most parents reported positive experiences of contacting and meeting their child's donor siblings and donor. This study highlights that having access to information about a child's donor origins is important for some parents and has potentially positive consequences. These findings have wider implications because the removal of donor anonymity in the UK and elsewhere means that increasing numbers of donor offspring are likely to seek contact with their donor relations in the future.

Social Risk Factors of Black and White Adolescents' Substance Use: The Differential Role of Siblings and Best Friends.

PubMed

Rowan, Zachary R

2016-07-01

Efforts to understand peer influence among adolescents have established the robust relationship between having substance using peers and future substance use. Still, research suggests that peer influence affects different types of adolescents in different ways. Black adolescents may be less susceptible to friends compared to white adolescents and possess stronger family-orientation, suggesting that siblings may affect deviance of Black adolescents whereas friends will have a minimal impact. This study used data from the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to evaluate the relative strength of best friend and siblings' influence as risk factors for Black and White adolescents' alcohol and cigarette use. Approximately 182 Black sibling pairs (37 % male) and 657 white sibling pairs (46 % male) that ranged in ages from 11 to 19 were in the longitudinal analyses for the current study. The findings demonstrated that sibling and best friends' substance use explained white adolescents' cigarette and alcohol use, whereas Black adolescents' cigarette and alcohol use was predominantly explained by siblings' substance use. Ultimately, the results indicated the nuanced role that two types of peers have in explaining variation in substance use across Black and White adolescents.

The Positive and Negative Experiences of Caregiving for Siblings of Young People with First Episode Psychosis

PubMed Central

Bowman, Siann; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario; Wade, Darryl; Howie, Linsey; McGorry, Patrick

2017-01-01

Background: The impact of first episode psychosis (FEP) upon parents’ experience of caregiving has been well-documented. However, the determinants and nature of this remain poorly understood in siblings. It is hypothesized that siblings of young people with FEP are also impacted by caregiving and burden. This study aimed to characterize the experience of caregiving for siblings of young people with FEP. Method: Survey methodology was used to explore the experience of 157 siblings in the first 18 months of their brother or sister’s treatment for FEP. Participants reported on their appraisal of the negative and positive aspects of caregiving as measured by the Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI). Descriptive statistics were used to establish the results for the total sample as well as for gender and birth order differences. A series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between illness characteristics and siblings’ experience of caregiving. Results: Older brothers reported the lowest scores for negative experiences in caregiving and younger sisters reported the highest. Negative experiences in caregiving resulted in less warmth within the sibling relationship and impacted negatively upon quality of life. When the young person with FEP had attempted suicide and/or been physically violent, siblings experienced more caregiver burden. Multivariate analysis showed that female gender was a significant factor in explaining the impact of illness related variables on the experience of caregiving. Conclusion: Suicide attempts and a history of violence resulted in higher caregiving burden for siblings regardless of whether they lived with the young person experiencing FEP or not. Female siblings are at higher risk of negative experiences from caregiving resulting in a reduced quality of life and a changed sibling relationship. Suicide attempts and violence are indicators for intensive case management to improve outcomes for the individual with FEP which may in turn reduce the burden experienced by the sibling. Clinicians can use these findings to identify siblings, assertively intervene and provide increased psychological support, psychoeducation and practical problem solving to reduce the burden. The caregiving role that they already play for their ill brother or sister should be recognized. PMID:28588522

[Full Sibling Identification by IBS Scoring Method and Establishment of the Query Table of Its Critical Value].

PubMed

Li, R; Li, C T; Zhao, S M; Li, H X; Li, L; Wu, R G; Zhang, C C; Sun, H Y

2017-04-01

To establish a query table of IBS critical value and identification power for the detection systems with different numbers of STR loci under different false judgment standards. Samples of 267 pairs of full siblings and 360 pairs of unrelated individuals were collected and 19 autosomal STR loci were genotyped by Golden e ye™ 20A system. The full siblings were determined using IBS scoring method according to the 'Regulation for biological full sibling testing'. The critical values and identification power for the detection systems with different numbers of STR loci under different false judgment standards were calculated by theoretical methods. According to the formal IBS scoring criteria, the identification power of full siblings and unrelated individuals was 0.764 0 and the rate of false judgment was 0. The results of theoretical calculation were consistent with that of sample observation. The query table of IBS critical value for identification of full sibling detection systems with different numbers of STR loci was successfully established. The IBS scoring method defined by the regulation has high detection efficiency and low false judgment rate, which provides a relatively conservative result. The query table of IBS critical value for identification of full sibling detection systems with different numbers of STR loci provides an important reference data for the result judgment of full sibling testing and owns a considerable practical value. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Evidence that hippocampal-parahippocampal dysfunction is related to genetic risk for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Di Giorgio, A; Gelao, B; Caforio, G; Romano, R; Andriola, I; D'Ambrosio, E; Papazacharias, A; Elifani, F; Bianco, L Lo; Taurisano, P; Fazio, L; Popolizio, T; Blasi, G; Bertolino, A

2013-08-01

Abnormalities in hippocampal-parahippocampal (H-PH) function are prominent features of schizophrenia and have been associated with deficits in episodic memory. However, it remains unclear whether these abnormalities represent a phenotype related to genetic risk for schizophrenia or whether they are related to disease state. We investigated H-PH-mediated behavior and physiology, using blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI), during episodic memory in a sample of patients with schizophrenia, clinically unaffected siblings and healthy subjects. Patients with schizophrenia and unaffected siblings displayed abnormalities in episodic memory performance. During an fMRI memory encoding task, both patients and siblings demonstrated a similar pattern of reduced H-PH engagement compared with healthy subjects. Our findings suggest that the pathophysiological mechanism underlying the inability of patients with schizophrenia to properly engage the H-PH during episodic memory is related to genetic risk for the disorder. Therefore, H-PH dysfunction can be assumed as a schizophrenia susceptibility-related phenotype.

Parental mediation of television viewing and videogaming of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their siblings.

PubMed

Kuo, Melissa H; Magill-Evans, Joyce; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie

2015-08-01

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder spend considerable time in media activities. Parents play an important role in shaping adolescents' responses to media. This study explored the mediation strategies that parents of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder used to manage television and video game use, factors associated with their use of different strategies, and whether mediation strategies changed over time. A secondary purpose was to examine whether parents applied different mediation strategies to adolescents with autism spectrum disorder versus siblings, and the factors that created stress related to managing media use. Parents of 29 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and 16 siblings completed questionnaires at two time points. Parents most frequently supervised their television viewing by watching it with the adolescents, and used restrictive strategies to regulate their videogaming. Parents used similar strategies for siblings, but more frequently applied restrictive and instructive strategies for videogaming with adolescents with autism spectrum disorder than their siblings. Restrictive mediation of television viewing for the adolescents decreased significantly over the year. Adolescents' time spent in media activities, age, and behavior problems, and parents' concerns about media use were significant factors associated with the strategies that parents employed. Parents' stress related to the adolescents' behavioral and emotional responses to parental restrictions. © The Author(s) 2014.

Impact of a family-oriented rehabilitation programme on behavioural and emotional problems in healthy siblings of chronically ill children.

PubMed

Besier, T; Hölling, H; Schlack, R; West, C; Goldbeck, L

2010-09-01

To evaluate the impact of a family-oriented inpatient rehabilitation programme on behavioural and emotional problems in healthy siblings of chronically ill children and to assess the association between these problems and quality of life. A total of 259 healthy children (4-16 years, M = 8.6 years, SD = 3.3) with a chronically ill sibling were enrolled in the study. Parents filled in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, while the children answered a self-report quality of life instrument (LQ-KID) at the time of admission and discharge from the clinic and at a 6-month follow-up. Comparisons were performed with a matched control group from the German general population (n= 777). Significant behavioural or emotional symptoms were found in 30.5% of the healthy siblings, the relative risk of having elevated scores being 2.2 compared with the control group. Symptoms were inversely correlated with quality of life (r=-0.42). During the inpatient rehabilitation, symptoms decreased significantly to a normal level. Similarly, quality of life significantly improved, except in the dimension family relations. Family-oriented inpatient rehabilitation is a promising approach to improve the mental health of children with a chronically ill sibling.

Reduced event-related low frequency EEG activity in patients with early onset schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings.

PubMed

Simmonite, Molly; Bates, Alan Thomas; Groom, Madeleine; Hollis, Chris; Liddle, Peter Francis

2015-04-30

Low-frequency oscillations in the electroencephalogram (EEG) have been found to be abnormal in patients with schizophrenia. It is unclear, however, whether these abnormalities are related to severity of illness or are a marker for risk. This study investigated total and evoked theta and delta activity in schizophrenia patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls (HCs). EEG data were recorded whilst 24 individuals with schizophrenia, 26 unaffected siblings of individuals with schizophrenia and 26 healthy control participants completed a Go/No-Go task. Event-related total activity and evoked theta and delta activity were calculated for correct hits (CH), failed inhibitions (FI) and correct inhibitions (CI) trials. Patients displayed significantly less total delta, evoked delta, total theta and evoked theta activity when compared with healthy controls. Unaffected siblings displayed abnormalities of evoked delta, but other measures were similar to those in control participants. The findings of this study add to evidence that abnormal low-frequency EEG oscillations contribute to impairments in information processing seen in schizophrenia. These findings also suggest abnormal evoked delta oscillations are associated with an increased familial risk of developing the disorder. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Co-occurring Down syndrome and SUCLA2-related mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

PubMed

Couser, Natario L; Marchuk, Daniel S; Smith, Laurie D; Arreola, Alexandra; Kaiser-Rogers, Kathleen A; Muenzer, Joseph; Pandya, Arti; Gucsavas-Calikoglu, Muge; Powell, Cynthia M

2017-10-01

Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome 5 (MIM 612073) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in the beta subunit of the succinate-CoA ligase gene located within the 13q14 band. We describe two siblings of Hispanic descent with SUCLA2-related mitochondrial depletion syndrome (encephalomyopathic form with methylmalonic aciduria); the older sibling is additionally affected with trisomy 21. SUCLA2 sequencing identified homozygous p.Arg284Cys pathogenic variants in both patients. This mutation has previously been identified in four individuals of Italian and Caucasian descent. The older sibling with concomitant disease has a more severe phenotype than what is typically described in patients with either SUCLA2-related mitochondrial depletion syndrome or Down syndrome alone. The younger sibling, who has a normal female chromosome complement, is significantly less affected compared to her brother. While the clinical and molecular findings have been reported in about 50 patients affected with a deficiency of succinate-CoA ligase caused by pathogenic variants in SUCLA2, this report describes the first known individual affected with both a mitochondrial depletion syndrome and trisomy 21. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[The quality of sibling relation who have experienced family transitions and those who have not].

PubMed

Simard, Marie; Beaudry, Madeleine; Drapeau, Sylvie; Nadeau, France; Charbonneau, Cécile

2002-01-01

In this study, similarities and differences in sibling relationships between children who have experienced family transitions and those who have not are examined. Comparisons are made between children who live in intact families, those whose parents have separated, and those who live in substitute care regarding the quality of their relationships with one of their siblings. More specifically, 4 dimensions describing the quality of sibling relationships are compared: Warmth/Closeness, Conflict, Relative Status/Power, and Rivalry (Furman & Buhrmester, 1985). The sample is made up of 3 groups of children (N = 158) aged between 8 and 12 years old: children living in intact families (n = 101), children who have experienced parental separation (n = 35), and children living in substitute care (n = 22). Results indicate differences on dimensions of Warmth/Closeness, Conflict, and Relative Status/Power. Different patterns of responses between the children who have experienced family transitions and those who have not are observed for the dimensions of Conflict and Power. The significant difference observed between the groups for the dimension of Warmth appears difficult to explain. Discussion of these results emphasizes the importance of the relationship between brothers and sisters experiencing family transition.

Children's Accounts of Sibling Jealousy and Their Implicit Theories about Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Julie A.; Halberstadt, Amy G.

2008-01-01

In two studies, fifth- and sixth-grade children's descriptive accounts of sibling jealousy were related to their implicit theories about relationships. Children's jealousy accounts were collected via structured interviews; their implicit theories were assessed by questionnaire. In both studies, children reported experiencing mild to moderate…

Young Children's Sibling Relationship Quality: Distal and Proximal Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kretschmer, Tina; Pike, Alison

2009-01-01

Background: Relationships within families are interdependent and related to distal environmental factors. Low socioeconomic status (SES) and high household chaos (distal factors) have been linked to less positive marital and parent-child relationships, but have not yet been examined with regard to young children's sibling relationships. The…

Doing Nothing: Adults with Disabilities with No Daily Activities and Their Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Julie Lounds; Hodapp, Robert M.

2012-01-01

A significant concern of parents and professionals is that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities will go without regular educational-vocational activities. The authors examined predictors of such inactivity in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as how inactivity related to their sibling's…

Bullied Children: Parent and School Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling; Zdunowski-Sjoblom, Nicole

2014-01-01

Family interviews were conducted with 28 7-12-year-old children who had experienced various forms of bullying and relational aggression by their peers, as well as with their parent and with an older sibling. Interviews explored possible supportive strategies of older siblings, parents, and teachers. All bullied children reported negative feelings…

Futures Planning--Adult Sibling Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davys, Deborah; Mitchell, Duncan; Haigh, Carol

2015-01-01

A total of 15 adult siblings of people who have a learning disability were interviewed in relation to their future wishes and expectations of care giving. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse transcripts from the interviews where it was demonstrated that futures planning remains an area of difficulty for families of…

The Family Relationships Grid: Measuring Family Structure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, Anne P.; And Others

This study examined the Family Relationships Grid (FRG), a new measure of family structure that evaluates alliances, identification, isolation, and the relative strength of sibling and marital relationships. Subjects were 52 female and 35 male adolescents who were recruited through a university course and who each had at least one sibling.…

Immunization Uptake in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuwaik, Ghassan Abu; Roberts, Wendy; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Bryson, Susan; Smith, Isabel M.; Szatmari, Peter; Modi, Bonnie M.; Tanel, Nadia; Brian, Jessica

2014-01-01

Background: Parental concerns persist that immunization increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder, resulting in the potential for reduced uptake by parents of younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder ("younger sibs"). Objective: To compare immunization uptake by parents for their younger child relative to their…

[Exploring the changes of the lived experience among siblings of children with cancer].

PubMed

Chui, Chi; Lo, Li-Hua

2005-10-01

Few nursing studies in the past two decades have focused on siblings of children with cancer. Taking care of a hospitalized child with cancer, parents might neglect other children at home. Nursing providers need more information related to siblings and their psychosocial adaptation when one of their children is diagnosed with cancer and undergoing a variety of treatment protocols. The purpose of this study was to explore the changes in the experiences of preschool and school age siblings of children with cancer. A phenomenological study was conducted at a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Three children aged between five and nine years old who were siblings of a hospitalized cancer patient were approached in 2003-2004. Their families were also interviewed. Data included in-depth, formal and informal interviews, process recordings, drawings by the children, and a diary of reflections kept by the first author. Interviews lasted between 30 and 90 minutes. The qualitative data analysis method devised by Miles and Huberman (1994) was used. The findings indicated that there were three different changes in experience: Changes in psychological status, i.e., increase in worry about life, anxiety about the disease, and negative self-concepts; Changes in family interaction, i.e., relationship with mother, relationship with father, relationship with other siblings; Changes in social relationship, i.e., hunger for companions, changing recreation. Siblings do experience changes in their lives and may experience mal-adaptation. Nursing providers need to be aware of these changes and identify the health needs among caregivers and siblings of children with cancer. The findings of this study may be helpful to clinical nurses seeking to understand the needs of siblings of children with cancer.

Tobacco Use Among Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

PubMed

Buchbinder, David; Oeffinger, Kevin; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Yasui, Yutaka; Alderfer, Melissa A; Armstrong, Gregory T; Casillas, Jacqueline; Ford, Jennifer; Krull, Kevin R; Leisenring, Wendy; Recklitis, Christopher; Robison, Leslie L; Zeltzer, Lonnie K; Lown, E Anne

2016-02-01

Having a brother or sister with childhood cancer may influence health behaviors during adulthood. The aim of this study was to compare tobacco use in siblings of survivors with peers and to identify factors associated with sibling tobacco use. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using adult siblings (N = 1,974) of 5+ year cancer survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) and participants (N = 24,105, weighted to match CCSS) in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Self-reported tobacco use, sociodemographic, and cancer-related risk factors were analyzed. Siblings were equally likely to have ever smoked compared to their peers (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93-1.12). Siblings were less likely to be current smokers (OR 0.83, 95%CI 0.73-0.94), but more likely to be former smokers (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.08-1.35). Siblings with low education were more likely to ever smoke (OR 1.51, 95%CI 1.15-2.00) and be current smokers (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.24-2.26) compared to their peers. Among siblings, risk factors for current tobacco use included the following: low income <$20,000 (OR 1.66, 95%CI 1.09-2.54), low education (OR 6.68, 95%CI 4.07-10.97), psychological distress (OR 5.36, 95%CI 2.21-13.02), and heavy alcohol use (OR 3.68, 95%CI 2.50-5.41). Siblings of survivors take up smoking at similar rates to their peers, but are more likely to quit. Efforts are needed to address disparities by providing greater psychosocial support and education for the lowest socioeconomic status families facing childhood cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

'At the end of the day, it is more important that he stays happy': an interpretative phenomenological analysis of people who have a sibling with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

PubMed

Goodwin, J; Alam, S; Campbell, L E

2017-09-01

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome. However, there is little research examining the effect of this multisystem disorder on the family, particularly siblings. The current study was a phenomenological exploration of sense-making in siblings of a person with 22q11.2DS. Interpretative phenomenological analysis informed a detailed and open examination of being a sibling of a person with 22q11.2DS. Using in-depth semistructured interviews, five typically developing siblings (two men, three women) of people with 22q11.2DS were individually interviewed, providing the data set for transcription and thematic analysis. The theme 'They are the priority' overarched two subordinate themes that emerged from participants' descriptions of the struggle with acceptance and finding positive meaning. Participants oscillated between conflicting feelings about their sibling with 22q11.2DS always taking centre stage. For example, they felt anger, guilt and resentment; yet, they also embraced patience, empathy and gratitude. This phenomenological study provides a foundation for future research relating to 22q11.2DS and fostering family wellbeing, particularly around acceptance and psychological growth. The siblings in this study actively withdrew from their family to allow prioritisation of their affected sibling. However, this does not mean that their needs should be overlooked. There are easily accessible resources to support siblings of individuals with disabilities, and it is important for health professionals and parents to consider these options. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The quest for the Sun's siblings: an exploratory search in the Hipparcos Catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Anthony G. A.; Portegies Zwart, Simon F.; Bean, Jennifer

2010-09-01

We describe the results of a search for the remnants of the Sun's birth cluster among stars in the Hipparcos Catalogue. This search is based on the predicted phase-space distribution of the Sun's siblings from simple simulations of the orbits of the cluster stars in a smooth Galactic potential. For stars within 100 pc, the simulations show that it is interesting to examine those that have small space motions relative to the Sun. From amongst the candidate siblings thus selected, there are six stars with ages consistent with that of the Sun. Considering their radial velocities and abundances only one potential candidate, HIP21158, remains, but essentially the result of the search is negative. This is consistent with predictions by Portegies Zwart on the number of siblings near the Sun. We discuss the steps that should be taken in anticipation of the data from the Gaia mission in order to conduct fruitful searches for the Sun's siblings in the future.

The Quest For The Sun's Siblings: An Exploratory Search In The Hipparcos Catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, Jennifer; Brown, A.; Portegies Zwart, S.

2011-01-01

We describe the results of a search for the remnants of the Sun's birth cluster among stars in the Hipparcos Catalogue. This search is based on the predicted phase-space distribution of the Sun's siblings from simple simulations of the orbits of the cluster stars in a smooth Galactic potential. For stars within 100 pc, the simulations show that it is interesting to examine those that have small space motions relative to the Sun. From amongst the candidate siblings thus selected, there are six stars with ages consistent with that of the Sun. Considering their radial velocities and abundances only one potential candidate, HIP21158, remains, but essentially the result of the search is negative. This is consistent with predictions by Portegies Zwart on the number of siblings near the Sun. We discuss the steps that should be taken in anticipation of the data from the Gaia mission in order to conduct fruitful searches for the Sun's siblings in the future.

Understanding Sibling Influence on Adolescents’ Alcohol Use: Social and Cognitive Pathways

PubMed Central

Whiteman, Shawn D.; Jensen, Alexander C.; Mustillo, Sarah A.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

Research indicates that older siblings uniquely influence their younger brothers’ and sisters’ substance use behaviors during adolescence; however, the underlying mechanisms of socialization are rarely examined. The present study investigated whether social and/or cognitive pathways mediated the association between adolescent siblings’ alcohol use and whether these pathways were moderated by the gender composition of the sibling dyad. Participants included one parent and two adolescent siblings (M age = 14.52 and 17.17 years) from 326 families. Data were collected via telephone interviews. Path analysis demonstrated that the association between older and younger siblings’ alcohol use was mediated via social and cognitive pathways. Specifically, older siblings’ drinking was positively related to the frequency of siblings’ co-use as well as more positive expectations about alcohol, which in turn were positively associated with younger siblings’ alcohol use. Identifying the ways in which siblings influence each other’s substance use and health is critical because they are emerging and effective targets of intervention and prevention. PMID:26414204

Longitudinal Links between Older Sibling Features and Younger Siblings’ Academic Adjustment during Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Bouchey, Heather A.; Shoulberg, Erin K.; Jodl, Kathleen M.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2010-01-01

This study investigated prospective relations between (1) older siblings’ support and academic engagement and (2) younger siblings’ academic adjustment from 7th to 8th grade. The study was unique in that it incorporated a sample of both African American and European American adolescents. Also investigated was the extent to which the gender constellation (same-sex vs. mixed-sex) of sibling dyads moderated prospective associations. Findings revealed that, in mixed-sex dyads only, younger siblings’ perceptions of support received from the older sibling and their positive image of the older sibling predicted declines in the younger sibling’s academic self-perceptions and performance over time, even after controlling for younger siblings’ background characteristics and support from parents. Older siblings’ reported support to younger siblings also predicted declines in younger siblings’ academic adjustment, whereas the older siblings’ own level of academic engagement predicted an increase in younger siblings’ academic adjustment over time. Overall, findings did not differ substantially for African and European American adolescents. PMID:20376283

The Well-Being of Siblings of Individuals with Autism

PubMed Central

Green, Laura

2013-01-01

Objective. The purpose of this review of the literature was to summarise studies regarding the psychosocial impact of growing up with a sibling with autism and to identify gaps in the related literature. Methods. Electronic databases were reviewed in order to critically appraise the 14 articles relevant to the topic. The search included a combination of the following key words: autism∗, quality of life, well-being, sibling∗, ASD, ASD sibling∗, family, adjust∗, psychological functioning. Results. The majority of studies involved mixed children and adolescent samples, leading to confounding results and an inability to draw accurate conclusions about these distinct life stages. Autism appears to contribute to unique environmental stressors for the typically developing sibling. When experienced in the context of additional demographic risk factors, these stressors can result in difficulties adjusting to the demands of a special-needs child. Despite some vulnerability to behavioural and emotional dysfunction in at-risk children, siblings have the potential to not only adjust but to thrive in the face of disability adversity. Conclusion. Growing up with a sibling with autism appears to manifest in both positive and negative outcomes for siblings, depending upon important demographical, family, and individual variables. PMID:23738144

Parental reactions to parent- and sibling-directed aggression within a domestic violence context.

PubMed

Desir, Michelle P; Karatekin, Canan

2018-02-01

Parent- and sibling-directed aggression by minor children are two forms of family violence that often co-occur and have strong relations to prior exposure to domestic violence, yet are often overlooked in intervention efforts. In addition, current research does not examine these forms of family violence in tandem, and there is very limited research with samples exposed to domestic violence. To better understand how these forms of aggression operate within a domestic violence context, we interviewed 44 women residing in a domestic violence shelter with at least one child over 3.5 years of age who was aggressive toward them and/or siblings. Caregivers reported on their emotional reactions to children's parent-directed aggression and the types of and effectiveness of help they sought for parent- and/or sibling-directed aggression. In line with previous literature, caregivers endorsed a complex mix of emotional reactions to their children's parent-directed aggression, including anger, sadness, guilt, forgiveness, and worthlessness. In contrast to other studies, most caregivers (89%) had sought help for children's parent- and/or sibling-directed aggression and found it effective. Findings contribute to the literature on parent- and sibling-directed aggression and provide implications for how to effectively intervene.

Associations Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Friendship Quality in Early Adolescence: Looking at the Case of Twins.

PubMed

Bekkhus, Mona; Brendgen, Mara; Czajkowski, Nikolai O; Vitaro, Frank; Dionne, Ginette; Boivin, Michel

2016-04-01

Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated in a large longitudinal twin cohort. We examined negative and positive relationship features in 313 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 238 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins from ages 13 to 14 years, using latent structural modeling. Results showed stronger stability of the twin relationship quality compared to friendship quality. Positive features in the sibling relationship were associated with increased positive features in the relationship with the best friend a year later. In contrast, no significant association between negative sibling relationship features and change in negative friendship quality features was found. These findings speak to the important role of the sibling relationship in the development of good quality friendship relations in twins.

Familial pulmonary arterial hypertension, leucopenia, and atrial septal defect: a probable new familial syndrome with multisystem involvement.

PubMed

Dursun, Ali; Ozgul, R Koksal; Soydas, Asli; Tugrul, Tugba; Gurgey, Aytemiz; Celiker, Alpay; Barst, Robyn J; Knowles, James A; Mahesh, Mansukhani; Morse, Jane H

2009-01-01

We present two siblings with identical clinical findings that seem to represent a previously unreported familial syndrome. Major findings involve three systems: pulmonary arterial hypertension, cardiac abnormalities including secundum-type atrial septal defect, and the hematopoietic system with intermittent neutropenia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, and anemia. The siblings also shared several minor abnormalities: pectus carinatum, long fingers, proximally placed thumb, broad nasal bridge, and high-arched palate. The male proband also had bilateral inguinal hernias and undescended testes. The same findings in two siblings suggest a genetic cause--either an autosomal recessive disorder or germline mosaicism in one parent for a dominant mutation. Investigations revealed a bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 polymorphism in intron 4 in only one sibling, which was also present in unaffected maternal relatives.

Aggression, Sibling Antagonism, and Theory-of-Mind During the First Year of Siblinghood: A Developmental Cascade Model

PubMed Central

Song, Ju-Hyun; Volling, Brenda L.; Lane, Jonathan D.; Wellman, Henry M.

2016-01-01

A developmental cascade model was tested to examine longitudinal associations among firstborn children’s aggression, Theory-of-Mind, and antagonism toward their younger sibling during the first year of siblinghood. Aggression and Theory-of-Mind were assessed before the birth of a sibling, and 4 and 12 months after the birth, and antagonism was examined at 4 and 12 months in a sample of 208 firstborn children (initial M age = 30 months, 56% girls) from primarily European American, middle- class families. Firstborns’ aggression consistently predicted high sibling antagonism both directly and through poorer Theory-of-Mind. Results highlight the importance of examining longitudinal influences across behavioral, social-cognitive, and relational factors that are closely intertwined even from the early years of life. PMID:27096923

Is incest common in gray wolf packs?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Deborah E; Meier, Thomas J.; Geffen, Eli; Mech, L. David; Burch, John W.; Adams, Layne G.; Wayne, Robert K.

1997-01-01

Wolf packs generally consist of a breeding pair and their maturing offspring that help provision and protect pack young. Because the reproductive tenure in wolves is often short, reproductively mature offspring might replace their parents, resulting in sibling or parent-offspring matings. To determine the extent of incestuous pairings, we measured relatedness based on variability in 20 microsatellite loci of mated pairs, parent-offspring pairs, and siblings in two populations of gray wolves. Our 16 sampled mated pairs had values of relatedness not overlapping those of known parent-offspring or sibling dyads, which is consistent with their being unrelated or distantly related. These results suggest that full siblings or a parent and its offspring rarely mate and that incest avoidance is an important constraint on gray wolf behavioral ecology.

Types and Influence of Social Support on School Engagement of Young Survivors of Leukemia.

PubMed

Tougas, Anne-Marie; Jutras, Sylvie; Bigras, Marc

2016-08-01

The present study aimed to describe and explore the influence of social support on the school engagement of young survivors of pediatric leukemia. Fifty-three young Quebecers, previously diagnosed and treated for leukemia, completed a questionnaire measuring their school engagement and participated in an interview focusing on the support offered by four groups of relations with regard to school: parents, siblings, friends, and other nonprofessional relations. The interview responses revealed that parents were perceived to be the primary source of informational and emotional support, with support also provided to a lesser extent by friends, siblings, and members of the extended family. Inferential analyses indicated that young survivors report a higher school engagement score when they perceive themselves as receiving support from a greater number of groups of relations, especially from friends or siblings. © The Author(s) 2016.

Familial recurrent hypersomnia: two siblings with Kleine-Levin syndrome and menstrual-related hypersomnia.

PubMed

Rocamora, Rodrigo; Gil-Nagel, Antonio; Franch, Oriol; Vela-Bueno, Antonio

2010-11-01

Kleine-Levin syndrome and menstrual-related hypersomnia are rare idiopathic sleep disorders occurring primarily in adolescence. They are characterized by intermittent periods of excessive sleepiness, cognitive disturbances, and behavioral abnormalities. In both, the etiology remains unknown but autoinmune, hormonal, infectious, and inflammatory mechanisms have been proposed. The authors describe, for the first time, the association of Kleine-Levin syndrome and menstrual-related hypersomnia in 2 adolescent siblings who shared the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci DQB1*0501. The same haplotype has been associated with sleepwalking and with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder. This gender differences in the manifestation of a probably genetic influenced sleep disorder suggests that hormonal mechanisms could be implicated in the phenotypical expression of this sleep disorder. The male sibling with Kleine-Levin syndrome was easily controlled with carbamazepine in low doses, but his sister could be only efficaciously treated with oral contraceptives.

Cognitive and affective empathy among adolescent siblings of children with a physical disability.

PubMed

Perenc, Lidia; Pęczkowski, Ryszard

2018-01-01

This study is a continuation of research on possible psychosocial benefits resulting from exposure to sibling with disability present in the family system. The issue seems to be especially important in Poland because of growing number of children with a disability and inconsistent results of previously performed studies. The main aim of this study was to examine the differences in the intensity of cognitive and affective empathy in adolescents who either have or do not have siblings with physical disability. The authors hypothesized that the increased exposure to individual with disability should result in positive attitude towards such people and this tendency should be manifested in elevated empathy and compassion. The study was carried out between September and November 2016. To meet the goals set to the study, a sample of 292 students from public middle and high schools were assessed using self-report demographic questionnaire and measure of empathy (IRI). The participants were between 13 and 19 years old. Among them 128 had a disabled sibling (Group T) and 164 constituted a comparative group (Group C). Interpretation of results is based on descriptive statistics. Participants having a disabled sibling showed significantly higher scores related both to cognitive and affective empathy. Some significant differences were also noted in relation to participants' gender and age. Exposure to individuals with physical disability in family context may facilitate development of positive psychosocial traits including elevated empathy and compassion in nondisabled siblings. Data analysis also showed significantly greater empathic and altruistic tendencies in females that in males. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bargaining Power, Parental Caregiving, and Intergenerational Coresidence

PubMed Central

Pollak, Robert A.; Schone, Barbara S.

2015-01-01

Objective. To examine the effect of changes in parent–child coresidence on caregiving decisions of non-resident siblings over a 5-year period while controlling for characteristics of the elderly parent and adult children in the family network. Method. We use difference-in-difference models applied to Health and Retirement Study-Assets and Health Dynamics of the Elderly data to test the hypothesis that the formation of a joint household between a parent and one of her children raises the bargaining power of non-resident siblings, who then reduce their care to the parent. Similarly, the dissolution of a parent–child household is expected to increase the bargaining power of the child who no longer coresides with the parent relative to her siblings. Results. We find that children whose parent and sibling begin coresiding during the study period are less likely to provide care and provide fewer hours of care than children whose parents never coresided with a child. Adult children whose parent cease coresiding with a sibling, on the other hand, have a higher likelihood of providing care and provide significantly more hours of care relative to children whose parents either coresided with a sibling in both time periods or never coresided with a child. Discussion. Meeting the needs of the growing elderly population while maintaining them in the community is a particular focus of long-term care policy. To the extent that shared living is an important component of such care, the observed sensitivity of non-resident children’s caregiving efforts has implications for the well-being of both disabled parents and their coresiding adult children. PMID:24994851

Parent involvement, sibling companionship, and adolescent substance use: A longitudinal, genetically informed design.

PubMed

Samek, Diana R; Rueter, Martha A; Keyes, Margaret A; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G

2015-08-01

A large literature shows that parent and sibling relationship factors are associated with an increased likelihood of adolescent substance use. Less is known about the etiology of these associations. Using a genetically informed sibling design, we examined the prospective associations between parent involvement, sibling companionship, and adolescent substance use at 2 points in mid- and late-adolescence. Adolescents were adopted (n = 568) or the biological offspring of both parents (n = 412). Cross-lagged panel results showed that higher levels of parent involvement in early adolescence were associated with lower levels of substance use later in adolescence. Results did not significantly differ across adoption status, suggesting this association cannot be due to passive gene-environment correlation. Adolescent substance use at Time 1 was not significantly associated with parent involvement at Time 2, suggesting this association does not appear to be solely due to evocative (i.e., "child-driven") effects either. Together, results support a protective influence of parent involvement on subsequent adolescent substance use that is environmental in nature. The cross-paths between sibling companionship and adolescent substance use were significant and negative in direction (i.e., protective) for sisters, but positive for brothers (in line with a social contagion hypothesis). These effects were consistent across genetically related and unrelated pairs, and thus appear to be environmentally mediated. For mixed gender siblings, results were consistent with environmentally driven, protective influence hypothesis for genetically unrelated pairs, but in line with a genetically influenced, social contagion hypothesis for genetically related pairs. Implications are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Parent Involvement, Sibling Companionship, and Adolescent Substance Use: A Longitudinal, Genetically-Informed Design

PubMed Central

Samek, Diana R.; Rueter, Martha A.; Keyes, Margaret A.; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G.

2015-01-01

A large literature shows that parent and sibling relationship factors are associated with an increased likelihood of adolescent substance use. Less is known about the etiology of these associations. Using a genetically-informed sibling design, we examined the prospective associations between parent involvement, sibling companionship, and adolescent substance use at two points in mid- and late-adolescence. Adolescents were adopted (n = 568) or the biological offspring of both parents (n = 412). Cross-lagged panel results showed that higher levels of parent involvement in early adolescence were associated with lower levels of substance use later in adolescence. Results did not significantly differ across adoption status, suggesting this association cannot be due to passive gene-environment correlation. Adolescent substance use at Time 1 was not significantly associated with parent involvement at Time 2, suggesting this association does not appear to be solely due to evocative (i.e. “child-driven”) effects either. Together, results support a protective influence of parent involvement on subsequent adolescent substance use that is environmental in nature. The cross-paths between sibling companionship and adolescent substance use were significant and negative in direction (i.e., protective) for sisters, but positive for brothers (in line with a social contagion hypothesis). These effects were consistent across genetically related and unrelated pairs, and thus appear to be environmentally mediated. For mixed gender siblings, results were consistent with environmentally-driven, protective influence hypothesis for genetically unrelated pairs, but in line with a genetically influenced, social contagion hypothesis for genetically related pairs. Implications are discussed. PMID:26030026

Increased risk of advanced neoplasms among asymptomatic siblings of patients with colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Ng, Siew C; Lau, James Y W; Chan, Francis K L; Suen, Bing Yee; Leung, Wai-Keung; Tse, Yee Kit; Ng, Simon S M; Lee, Janet F Y; To, Ka-Fai; Wu, Justin C Y; Sung, Joseph J Y

2013-03-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-most common cancer in Hong Kong. Relatives of patients with CRC have an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm. We assessed the prevalence of advanced neoplasms among asymptomatic siblings of patients with CRC. Patients with CRC were identified from the Prince of Wales Hospital CRC Surgery Registry from 2001 to 2011. Colonoscopies were performed for 374 siblings of patients (age, 52.6 ± 7.4 y) and 374 age- and sex-matched siblings of healthy subjects who had normal colonoscopies and did not have a family history of CRC (controls, 52.7 ± 7.4 y). We identified individuals with advanced neoplasms (defined as cancers or adenomas of at least 10 mm in diameter, high-grade dysplasia, with villous or tubulovillous characteristics). The prevalence of advanced neoplasms was 7.5% among siblings of patients and 2.9% among controls (matched odds ratio [mOR], 3.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-6.3; P = .002). The prevalence of adenomas larger than 10 mm was higher among siblings of patients than in controls (5.9% vs 2.1%; mOR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.45-7.66; P = .004), as was the presence of colorectal adenomas (31.0% vs 18.2%; mOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.52-3.17; P < .001). Six cancers were detected among siblings of patients; no cancers were detected in controls. The prevalence of advanced neoplasms among siblings of patients was higher when their index case was female (mOR, 4.95; 95% CI, 1.81-13.55) and had distally located CRC (mOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.34-7.14). In Hong Kong, siblings of patients with CRC have a higher prevalence of advanced neoplasms, including CRC, than siblings of healthy individuals. Screening is indicated in this high-risk population. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00164944. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sibling number and prevalence of allergic disorders in pregnant Japanese women: baseline data from the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study.

PubMed

Miyake, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Keiko; Arakawa, Masashi

2011-07-14

Although an inverse relationship between number of siblings and likelihood of allergic disorders has been shown in many epidemiological studies, the biological mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not yet been identified. There is no epidemiological research regarding the sibling effect on allergic disorders in Japanese adults. The current cross-sectional study examined the relationship between number of siblings and prevalence of allergic disorders among adult women in Japan. Subjects were 1745 pregnant women. This study was based on questionnaire data. The definitions of wheeze and asthma were based on criteria from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey whereas those of eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis were based on criteria from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Adjustment was made for age, region of residence, pack-years of smoking, secondhand smoke exposure at home and at work, family history of asthma, atopic eczema, and allergic rhinitis, household income, and education. The prevalence values of wheeze, asthma, eczema, and rhinoconjunctivitis in the past 12 months were 10.4%, 5.5%, 13.0%, and 25.9%, respectively. A significant inverse exposure-response relationship was observed between the number of older siblings and rhinoconjunctivitis, but not wheeze, asthma, or eczema (P for trend=0.03); however, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for having 2 or more older siblings was not significant although the adjusted OR for having 1 older sibling was statistically significant (adjusted OR=0.71 [95% CI: 0.56-0.91]). Number of total siblings and number of younger siblings were not related to wheeze, asthma, eczema, or rhinoconjunctivitis. This study found a significant inverse relationship between the number of older siblings and the prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis among pregnant Japanese women. Our findings are likely to support the intrauterine programming hypothesis; however, we could not rule out the hygiene hypothesis.

Sibling number and prevalence of allergic disorders in pregnant Japanese women: baseline data from the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although an inverse relationship between number of siblings and likelihood of allergic disorders has been shown in many epidemiological studies, the biological mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not yet been identified. There is no epidemiological research regarding the sibling effect on allergic disorders in Japanese adults. The current cross-sectional study examined the relationship between number of siblings and prevalence of allergic disorders among adult women in Japan. Methods Subjects were 1745 pregnant women. This study was based on questionnaire data. The definitions of wheeze and asthma were based on criteria from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey whereas those of eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis were based on criteria from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Adjustment was made for age, region of residence, pack-years of smoking, secondhand smoke exposure at home and at work, family history of asthma, atopic eczema, and allergic rhinitis, household income, and education. Results The prevalence values of wheeze, asthma, eczema, and rhinoconjunctivitis in the past 12 months were 10.4%, 5.5%, 13.0%, and 25.9%, respectively. A significant inverse exposure-response relationship was observed between the number of older siblings and rhinoconjunctivitis, but not wheeze, asthma, or eczema (P for trend = 0.03); however, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for having 2 or more older siblings was not significant although the adjusted OR for having 1 older sibling was statistically significant (adjusted OR = 0.71 [95% CI: 0.56-0.91]). Number of total siblings and number of younger siblings were not related to wheeze, asthma, eczema, or rhinoconjunctivitis. Conclusions This study found a significant inverse relationship between the number of older siblings and the prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis among pregnant Japanese women. Our findings are likely to support the intrauterine programming hypothesis; however, we could not rule out the hygiene hypothesis. PMID:21752304

Speed, Variability, and Timing of Motor Output in ADHD: Which Measures are Useful for Endophenotypic Research?

PubMed Central

Altink, Marieke E.; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Beem, Leo; Buschgens, Cathelijne J. M.; Buitelaar, Jan; Sergeant, Joseph A.

2007-01-01

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) shares a genetic basis with motor coordination problems and probably motor timing problems. In line with this, comparable problems in motor timing should be observed in first degree relatives and might, therefore, form a suitable endophenotypic candidate. This hypothesis was investigated in 238 ADHD-families (545 children) and 147 control-families (271 children). A motor timing task was administered, in which children had to produce a 1,000 ms interval. In addition to this task, two basic motor tasks were administered to examine speed and variability of motor output, when no timing component was required. Results indicated that variability in motor timing is a useful endophenotypic candidate: It was clearly associated with ADHD, it was also present in non-affected siblings, and it correlated within families. Accuracy (under- versus over-production) in motor timing appeared less useful: Even though accuracy was associated with ADHD (probands and affected siblings had a tendency to under-produce the 1,000 ms interval compared to controls), non-affected siblings did not differ from controls and sibling correlations were only marginally significant. Slow and variable motor output without timing component also appears present in ADHD, but not in non-affected siblings, suggesting these deficits not to be related to a familial vulnerability for ADHD. Deficits in motor timing could not be explained by deficits already present in basic motor output without a timing component. This suggests abnormalities in motor timing were predominantly related to deficient motor timing processes and not to general deficient motor functioning. The finding that deficits in motor timing run in ADHD-families suggests this to be a fruitful domain for further exploration in relation to the genetic underpinnings of ADHD. PMID:18071893

The causal nature of the association between neighborhood deprivation and drug abuse: a prospective national Swedish co-relative control study

PubMed Central

Kendler, K. S.; Ohlsson, H.; Sundquist, K.; Sundquist, J.

2014-01-01

Background Risk for drug abuse (DA) is strongly associated with neighborhood social deprivation (SD). However, the causal nature of this relationship is unclear. Method Three Swedish population-based cohorts were followed up over 5 years for incident registration of DA in medical, legal or pharmacy records. In each cohort, we examined the SD–DA association, controlling carefully for individual socio-economic status (SES) with multiple measures, in the entire sample and among pairs of first cousins, paternal and maternal half-siblings, full siblings and monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for SD exposure. The number of informative relative pairs ranged from 6366 to 166208. Results In all cohorts, SD was prospectively related to risk for incident DA. In relative pairs discordant for SD exposure, the SD–DA association was similar to that seen in the entire population in cousins, half-siblings, full siblings and MZ twins. Eliminating subjects who were residentially unstable or had DA in the first two follow-up years did not alter this pattern. When divided by age, in the youngest groups, the SD–DA association was weaker in siblings than in the entire population. Conclusions Across three cohorts, controlling for individual SES and confounding familial factors, SD prospectively predicted risk for incident DA registration. These results support the hypothesis that the SD–DA association is in part causal and unlikely to result entirely from personal attributes, which both increase risk for DA and cause selection into high SD environments. At least part of the SD–DA association arises because exposure to SD causes an increased risk of DA. PMID:25055172

Changes in event-related potentials in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and their siblings.

PubMed

Yang, Chengqing; Zhang, Tianhong; Li, Zezhi; Heeramun-Aubeeluck, Anisha; Liu, Na; Huang, Nan; Zhang, Jie; He, Leiying; Li, Hui; Tang, Yingying; Chen, Fazhan; Wang, Jijun; Lu, Zheng

2017-01-17

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of event-related potentials induced by facial emotion recognition in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and in their siblings. In this case-control study, 30 first-episode schizophrenia patients, 26 siblings, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. They completed facial emotion recognition tasks from the Ekman Standard Faces Database as an induction for evoked potentials. Evoked potential data were obtained using a 64-channel electroencephalography system. Average evoked potential waveforms were computed from epochs for each stimulus type. The amplitudes and latency of the event-related potentials for P100 (positive potential 100 ms after stimulus onset), N170 (negative potential 170 ms after stimulus onset), and N250 (fronto-central peak) were investigated at O1, O2, P7, and P8 electrode locations. There were significant differences between the groups for P100 amplitude (F = 11.526, P < 0.001), electrode position (F = 450.592, P < 0.001), emotion (disgust vs. happiness vs. fear) (F = 1722.467, P < 0.001), and emotion intensity (low vs. moderate vs. high) (F = 1737.169, P < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed significantly larger amplitudes in the schizophrenia group at the O1, O2, P7, and P8 electrode positions. There were no significant differences between the siblings of schizophrenia patients and the healthy controls. Patients with schizophrenia showed abnormalities in P100 amplitude, but similar results were not observed in their siblings. These results provide evidence of dysfunctional event-related potential patterns underlying facial emotion processing in patients with schizophrenia. P100 may be a characteristic index of schizophrenia.

Children's experiences of domestic violence and abuse: Siblings' accounts of relational coping.

PubMed

Callaghan, Jane E M; Alexander, Joanne H; Sixsmith, Judith; Fellin, Lisa C

2016-10-01

This article explores how children see their relationships, particularly their sibling relationships, in families affected by domestic violence (DV) and how relationality emerges in their accounts as a resource to build an agentic sense of self. The 'voice' of children is largely absent from the DV literature, which typically portrays them as passive, damaged and relationally incompetent. Children's own understandings of their relational worlds are often overlooked, and consequently, existing models of children's social interactions give inadequate accounts of their meaning-making-in-context. Drawn from a larger study of children's experiences of DV and abuse, this article uses two case studies of sibling relationships to explore young people's use of relational resources, for coping with violence in the home. The article explores how relationality and coping intertwine in young people's accounts and disrupts the taken-for-granted assumption that children's 'premature caring' or 'parentification' is (only) pathological in children's responses to DV. This has implications for understanding young people's experiences in the present and supporting their capacity for relationship building in the future. © The Author(s) 2015.

Psychoeducation for siblings of people with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Sin, Jacqueline; Jordan, Cheryl D; Barley, Elizabeth A; Henderson, Claire; Norman, Ian

2015-05-08

Many people with severe mental illness (SMI) have siblings. Siblings are often both natural agents to promote service users' recovery and vulnerable to mental ill health due to the negative impact of psychosis within the family. Despite a wealth of research evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychoeducation for service users with SMI and their family members, in reducing relapse and promoting compliance with treatment, siblings remain relatively invisible in clinical service settings as well as in research studies. If psychoeducational interventions target siblings and improve siblings' knowledge, coping with caring and overall wellbeing, they could potentially provide a cost-effective option for supporting siblings with resulting benefits for service users' outcomes. To assess the effectiveness of psychoeducation compared with usual care or any other intervention in promoting wellbeing and reducing distress of siblings of people affected by SMI.The secondary objective was, if possible, to determine which type of psychoeducation is most effective. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register and screened the reference lists of relevant reports and reviews (12th November 2013). We contacted trial authors for unpublished and specific data on siblings' outcomes. All relevant randomised controlled trials focusing on psychoeducational interventions targeting siblings of all ages (on their own or amongst other family members including service users) of individuals with SMI, using any means and formats of delivery, i.e. individual (family), groups, computer-based. Two review authors independently screened the abstracts and extracted data and two other authors independently checked the screening and extraction process. We contacted authors of trials to ascertain siblings' participation in the trials and seek sibling-specific data in those studies where siblings' data were grouped together with other participants' (most commonly other family members'/carers') outcomes. We calculated the risk difference (RD), its 95% confidence interval (CI) on an intention-to-treat basis. We presented continuous data using the mean difference statistic (MD) and 95% CIs. We assessed risk of bias for the included study and rated quality of evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). We found 14 studies that included siblings amongst other family members in receipt of psychoeducational interventions. However, we were only able to include one small trial with relevant and available data (n = 9 siblings out of n = 84 family member/carer-participants) comparing psychoeducational intervention with standard care in a community care setting, over a duration of 21 months. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effects of psychoeducational interventions compared with standard care on 'siblings' quality of life' (n = 9, MD score 3.80 95% CI -0.26 to 7.86, low quality of evidence), coping with (family) burden (n = 9, MD -8.80 95% CI -15.22 to -2.34, low quality of evidence). No sibling left the study early by one year (n = 9, RD 0.00 CI -0.34 to 0.34, low quality of evidence). Low quality and insufficient evidence meant we were unable to determine the effects of psychoeducational interventions compared with standard care on service users' global mental state (n = 9, MD -0.60 CI -3.54 to 2.38, low quality of evidence), their frequency of re-hospitalisation (n = 9, MD -0.70 CI -2.46 to 1.06, low quality of evidence) or duration of inpatient stay (n = 9, MD -2.60 CI -6.34 to 1.14, low quality of evidence), whether their siblings received psychoeducation or not. No study data were available to address the other primary outcomes: 'siblings' psychosocial wellbeing', 'siblings' distress' and adverse effects. Most studies evaluating psychoeducational interventions recruited siblings along with other family members. However, the proportion of siblings in these studies was low and outcomes for siblings were not reported independently from those of other types of family members. Indeed, only data from one study with nine siblings were available for the review. The limited study data we obtained provides no clear good quality evidence to indicate psychoeducation is beneficial for siblings' wellbeing or for clinical outcomes of people affected by SMI. More randomised studies are justified and needed to understand the role of psychoeducation in addressing siblings' needs for information and support.

Changes in Parents After the Death of a Child from Cancer

PubMed Central

Gilmer, Mary Jo; Foster, Terrah L.; Vannatta, Kathryn; Barrera, Maru; Davies, Betty; Dietrich, Mary S.; Fairclough, Diane L.; Grollman, Jamie; Gerhardt, Cynthia A.

2012-01-01

Context Few studies have compared multiple perspectives of changes experienced by parents after a child’s death. Objectives This study used interviews with bereaved parents and siblings to examine changes in parents during the first year after the death of a child from cancer. Methods Mothers (n = 36), fathers (n = 24), and siblings (n = 39) from 40 families were recruited from three hospitals in the U.S. and Canada 3-12 months post-death (M = 10.7, SD = 3.5). Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted in the home with each participating parent and sibling separately. Content analysis identified emerging themes, and frequencies were compared between each paired set of reports (mother versus sibling, father versus sibling, mother versus father). Results Parents and siblings identified two major categories of change experienced by bereaved parents. These changes occurred in their personal lives (e.g., emotions, perspectives and priorities, physical state, work habits, coping/behaviors, spiritual beliefs, and feeling something is missing) and relationships (e.g., family, others). Ninety-four percent of mothers, 87% of fathers, and 69% of siblings reported parental changes in at least one of these categories. Parents were more likely to report changes in priorities, whereas siblings reported more sadness in parents after the death. Conclusion Positive and negative changes in parents after the death of a child from cancer occur in both personal and relational domains. Additional research is needed to determine the impact of a child’s death on bereaved parents over time and to develop strategies to promote healthy adjustment. PMID:22784555

Increased Cerebellar Functional Connectivity With the Default-Mode Network in Unaffected Siblings of Schizophrenia Patients at Rest.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Liu, Feng; Zhang, Zhikun; Liu, Guiying; Liu, Jianrong; Yu, Liuyu; Xiao, Changqing; Zhao, Jingping

2015-11-01

The default-mode network (DMN) is vital in the neurobiology of schizophrenia, and the cerebellum participates in the high-order cognitive network such as the DMN. However, the specific contribution of the cerebellum to the DMN abnormalities remains unclear in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients. Forty-six unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 healthy controls were recruited for a resting-state scan. The images were analyzed using the functional connectivity (FC) method. The siblings showed significantly increased FCs between the left Crus I and the left superior medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), as well as between the lobule IX and the bilateral MPFC (orbital part) and right superior MPFC compared with the controls. No significantly decreased FC was observed in the siblings relative to the controls. The analyses were replicated in 49 first-episode, drug-naive patients with schizophrenia, and the results showed that the siblings and the patients shared increased FCs between the left Crus I and the left superior MPFC, as well as between the lobule IX and the left MPFC (orbital part) compared with the controls. These findings suggest that increased cerebellar-DMN connectivities emerge earlier than illness onset, which highlight the contribution of the cerebellum to the DMN alterations in unaffected siblings. The shared increased cerebellar-DMN connectivities between the patients and the siblings may be used as candidate endophenotypes for schizophrenia. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dissociation of functional and anatomical brain abnormalities in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Guo, Wenbin; Song, Yan; Liu, Feng; Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Jian; Yu, Miaoyu; Liu, Jianrong; Xiao, Changqing; Liu, Guiying; Zhao, Jingping

2015-05-01

Schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings share similar brain functional and structural abnormalities. However, no study is engaged to investigate whether and how functional abnormalities are related to structural abnormalities in unaffected siblings. This study was undertaken to examine the association between functional and anatomical abnormalities in unaffected siblings. Forty-six unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls underwent structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) were utilized to analyze imaging data. The VBM analysis showed gray matter volume decreases in the fronto-temporal regions (the left middle temporal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus, orbital part) and increases in basal ganglia system (the left putamen). Functional abnormalities measured by ALFF and fALFF mainly involved in the fronto-limbic-sensorimotor circuit (decreased ALFF in bilateral middle frontal gyrus and the right middle cingulate gyrus, and decreased fALFF in the right inferior frontal gyrus, orbital part; and increased ALFF in the left fusiform gyrus and left lingual gyrus, and increased fALFF in bilateral calcarine cortex). No significant correlation was found between functional and anatomical abnormalities in the sibling group. A dissociation pattern of brain regions with functional and anatomical abnormalities is observed in unaffected siblings. Our findings suggest that brain functional and anatomical abnormalities might be present independently in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of sibling number in the household and birth order on prevalence of Helicobacter pylori: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ford, Alexander C; Forman, David; Bailey, Alastair G; Goodman, Karen J; Axon, Anthony T R; Moayyedi, Paul

2007-12-01

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is acquired mainly in childhood, with studies demonstrating this is related to living conditions. Effects of sibling number and birth order on prevalence of infection have not been extensively studied. The authors performed a cross-sectional survey of adults, aged between 50 and 59 years, previously involved in a community-screening programme for H. pylori in Leeds and Bradford, UK. Prevalence of H. pylori was assessed at baseline with urea breath test. All individuals who were alive, and could be traced, were contacted by postal questionnaire in 2003 obtaining information on number of siblings and birth order. Data concerning childhood socioeconomic conditions were stored on file from the original study. 3928 (47%) of 8407 original participants provided data. Prevalence of infection increased according to sibling number (20% in those with none vs 63% with eight or more). Controlling for childhood socioeconomic conditions and birth order using multivariate logistic regression, infection odds were substantially increased with three siblings compared with none [odds ratio (OR) 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-2.15], and a gradient of effect continued up to eight or more siblings (OR 5.70; 95% CI 2.92-11.14). Odds of infection also increased substantially with birth order, but the positive gradient disappeared on adjustment for sibling number and childhood socioeconomic conditions. : In this cross section of UK adults, aged 50-59 years, sibling number in the household, but not birth order, was independently associated with prevalence of H. pylori infection.

The Development of Siblings' Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasberg, Beth A.

2000-01-01

Sixty-three siblings (and their parents) of individuals with autism or related disorders were interviewed to determine their cognitive sophistication about autism. Although children's reasoning became more mature with age, it tended to develop at a delayed rate compared to norms for illness concepts. Parents tended to overestimate their child's…

The Associations among Sibling and Peer-Bullying, Social Support and Internalizing Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyle, Samantha; Demaray, Michelle K.; Malecki, Christine K.; Tennant, Jaclyn E.; Klossing, Jacqueline

2017-01-01

Background: Peer bullying is associated with internalizing problems for children and adolescents. However, less is known about how these same behaviors are related to student well-being when they occur within the context of the sibling relationship and how supportive behavior may benefit those experiencing bullying. Objective: The purpose of this…

Dimensions of Mothers' and Fathers' Differential Treatment of Siblings: Links with Adolescents' Sex-Typed Personal Qualities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Corinna Jenkins; McHale, Susan M.; Crouter, Ann C.

2003-01-01

Explores mothers' and fathers' differential treatment (PDT) of their adolescent offspring and examines how siblings' personal qualities were associated with PDT. Sex was associated with parents' differential temporal involvement. Sex-typed personal qualities were related to parents' differential discipline. Both sex and sex-typed personal…

[A study on family pattern and psychological aspects of parent and child].

PubMed

Seo, M H; Hong, M S

1988-12-01

This study reviews the relationship between family patterns and psychological aspects of the mother-child relationship. As the population increase in Korea will reach 50 million in 2020, population policy must deal with population quality. The data come from 118 5th and 6th grade students and their mothers. Survey results shows that the number of children and the family type are related to mothers' child rearing attitudes. Mothers in nuclear families tended to be warmer and freer towards their children than others. Family type was not related to the self-esteem of children, and the number of siblings showed a weak relationship. Children with siblings have stronger self-esteem. Birth order and younger sibling spacing had a stronger relationship with self-esteem. First borns and those who had younger siblings within a 2-year interval had the weakest self-esteem. Since families are becoming smaller, child quality is becoming more important. Not only family size but also family type, birth order, and spacing need to be considered for the psychological well-being of the population.

Adjustment to the death of a sibling.

PubMed Central

Pettle Michael, S A; Lansdown, R G

1986-01-01

Despite the recent increase in interest in terminally ill children and their families and the post death adjustment of parents, there has been little research examining the adjustment and self concept of surviving siblings in such families. This paper discusses the results of a preliminary descriptive study of 28 children (from 14 families) whose brother or sister had died of cancer between 18 and 30 months previously. Behaviour checklists were completed by parents and teachers and self concept scales administered to the children. A lengthy semistructured interview was carried out, and measures of parental adjustment were gathered. A high percentage of children were found to be exhibiting emotional or behavioural difficulties, or both, and the results indicated that low self esteem was common. Parental and child adjustment were not found to be related inter se, nor did they seem to relate to the child's self esteem. Thus for many children the loss of a sibling might cause long term distress. Further, many children who did not manifest overt difficulties perceived themselves unfavourably in comparison with either their ideal or their dead sibling. PMID:3963872

Maternal manipulation of hatching asynchrony limits sibling cannibalism in the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis.

PubMed

Schausberger, P; Hoffmann, D

2008-11-01

1. Sibling cannibalism is a common phenomenon in the animal kingdom but entails a high risk of direct and inclusive fitness loss for the mother and her offspring. Therefore, mechanisms limiting sibling cannibalism are expected to be selected for. One way of maternal manipulation of sibling cannibalism is to influence hatching asynchrony between nearby laid eggs. This has rarely been tested experimentally. 2. We examined the ability of ovipositing females of the cannibalistic predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis to influence the occurrence of sibling cannibalism among offspring by manipulating hatching asynchrony of nearby laid eggs. 3. In the first experiment, we assessed the occurrence of sibling cannibalism in relation to the hatching interval (24 h and 48 h) between nearby laid eggs. In the second experiment, we tested whether ovipositing females discriminate sites containing young (24-h old) and old (48-h old) eggs, fresh and old traces (metabolic waste products and possibly pheromones) left by the same female (24 h and 48 h ago), or young eggs plus fresh female traces and old eggs plus old female traces. Both experiments were conducted with and without prey. 4. Without prey, siblings were more likely to cannibalize each other if the hatching interval between nearby laid eggs was short (24 h). Cannibalism occurred less often when senior siblings (protonymphs) experienced a delay in the opportunity to cannibalize junior siblings (larvae). 5. Independent of prey availability, females preferentially added new eggs to sites containing old eggs plus old female traces but did neither distinguish between young and old eggs presented without own traces nor between fresh and old traces presented without eggs. 6. We discuss cue perception and use by P. persimilis females and contrast the outcome of our experiments and theoretical predictions of sibling cannibalism. We conclude that P. persimilis mothers increase hatching asynchrony of nearby laid eggs to prevent sibling cannibalism on the last produced offspring. Such a behaviour may be considered a simple form of maternal care increasing the survival prospects of offspring.

Maternal regulation of sibling interactions in the preschool years: observational study in Japanese families.

PubMed

Kojima, Y

2000-01-01

Characteristics of three maternal regulating behaviors--(1) reference to one sibling's actions or emotional states toward the other sibling, (2) encouragement of sibling interactions, (3) distraction of one sibling's attention away from the other sibling-and their associations with children's positive and negative behaviors toward their siblings were investigated through semistructured home observations for 40 sibling pairs (1-4 years, 2-8 years) and their mothers in Japanese families. Maternal regulating behaviors were observed more frequently when the younger sibling was still in an early developmental stage in the preschool years, although the findings were modest. The older sibling's negative behaviors toward the younger sibling positively correlated with maternal distraction toward the younger; alternatively, the younger sibling's negative behaviors do not correlate with maternal distraction but do correlate with maternal encouragement directed toward the older sibling. Reliable associations were found between maternal regulating behaviors and prosocial exchanges between siblings; maternal reference to the younger sibling's actions or emotional states directed toward the older sibling was associated with the older sibling's positive behavior toward the younger sibling. Maternal regulating behaviors during mother-sibling triadic interactions were associated with the quality of sibling relationships.

White Matter Abnormalities in Autism and Unaffected Siblings.

PubMed

Jou, Roger J; Reed, Hannah E; Kaiser, Martha D; Voos, Avery C; Volkmar, Fred R; Pelphrey, Kevin A

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to identify a potential neuroendophenotype for autism using diffusion tensor imaging. Whole-brain, voxel-based analysis of fractional anisotropy was conducted in 50 children: 19 with autism, 20 unaffected siblings, and 11 controls. Relative to controls, participants with autism exhibited bilateral reductions in fractional anisotropy across association, commissure, and projection fibers. The most severely affected tracts included the uncinate fasciculus, forceps minor, and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. Unaffected siblings also exhibited reductions in fractional anisotropy, albeit less severe with fewer affected tracts, sparing the uncinate fasciculus and forceps minor. These results suggest the presence of a neuroendophenotype for autism.

Efficiency of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT from HLA fully-matched non-sibling relatives: a new prospect of exploiting extended family search.

PubMed

Hamidieh, A A; Dehaghi, M Ostadali; Paragomi, P; Navaei, S; Jalali, A; Eslami, G Ghazizadeh; Behfar, M; Ghavamzadeh, A

2015-04-01

The best donors for hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) are fully-matched siblings. In patients without fully-matched siblings, HLA registries or cord blood banks are alternative strategies with some restrictions. Owing to the high rate of consanguineous marriage in our country, between 2006 and 2013, extended family searches were undertaken in Hematology-Oncology Research Center and Stem Cell Transplantation (HORCSCT), Tehran, Iran, in 523 HSCT candidates with parental consanguinity and no available HLA identical sibling. Fully-matched other-relative donors were found for 109 cases. We retrospectively studied the HSCT outcome in these patients. Median time to neutrophil engraftment was 13 days (range: 9-31days). In 83 patients, full chimerism and in 17 patients, mixed chimerism was achieved. Acute GvHD (aGvHD) grade II-IV appeared in 36 patients (33%). The frequency of aGvHD development in various familial subgroups was NS. Five patients expired before day+100. In the surviving 104 cases, chronic GvHD developed in 20 patients (19.2%). The distantly related subgroup had significantly a higher rate of cGvHD (P=0.04). The 2-year OS and disease-free survival (DFS) were 76.7±4.5% and 71.7±4.7%, respectively. No significant difference in OS (P=0.30) and DFS (P=0.80) was unraveled between various familial relationships. Our considerable rate of fully-matched non-sibling family members and the favorable outcome support the rationale for extended family search in regions where consanguineous marriage is widely practiced.

The Influence of trisomy 21 on facial form and variability.

PubMed

Starbuck, John M; Cole, Theodore M; Reeves, Roger H; Richtsmeier, Joan T

2017-11-01

Triplication of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21) results in Down syndrome (DS), the most common live-born human aneuploidy. Individuals with DS have a unique facial appearance that can include form changes and altered variability. Using 3D photogrammatic images, 3D coordinate locations of 20 anatomical landmarks, and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis methods, we quantitatively test the hypothesis that children with DS (n = 55) exhibit facial form and variance differences relative to two different age-matched (4-12 years) control samples of euploid individuals: biological siblings of individuals with DS (n = 55) and euploid individuals without a sibling with DS (n = 55). Approximately 36% of measurements differ significantly between DS and DS-sibling samples, whereas 46% differ significantly between DS and unrelated control samples. Nearly 14% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and DS sibling samples, while 18% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and unrelated euploid control samples. Of those measures that showed a significant difference in variance, all were relatively increased in the sample of DS individuals. These results indicate that faces of children with DS are quantitatively more similar to their siblings than to unrelated euploid individuals and exhibit consistent, but slightly increased variation with most individuals falling within the range of normal variation established by euploid samples. These observations provide indirect evidence of the strength of the genetic underpinnings of the resemblance between relatives and the resistance of craniofacial development to genetic perturbations caused by trisomy 21, while underscoring the complexity of the genotype-phenotype map. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Asthma prevalence, family size, and birth order.

PubMed

Goldberg, Shmuel; Israeli, Eran; Schwartz, Shepard; Shochat, Tzippora; Izbicki, Gabriel; Toker-Maimon, Ori; Klement, Eyal; Picard, Elie

2007-06-01

Asthma prevalence may be reduced in large families. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that older siblings protect their younger siblings from asthma through a modulating effect on the still-maturing immune system. If the hygiene hypothesis is correct, asthma prevalence should be inversely related to birth order. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between asthma prevalence, and family size and birth order. The medical records of 531,116 Israeli military conscripts were reviewed. The association between number of children in the family and the prevalence of asthma, and between birth order and the prevalence of asthma was assessed. Odds ratios for asthma by birth order and family size, adjusted for each other, were calculated. Asthma was diagnosed in 26,833 male subjects (8.6%) and 15,079 female subjects (6.9%). Asthma prevalence was inversely related to the number of children in the family (p < 0.001). Among subjects who were the only child in the family, the prevalence of asthma was 7.3%. The prevalence increased to 8.95% among subjects from families with three siblings, and then progressively decreased as the number of siblings increased, and reached a trough of 0.58% in conscripts from families of 15 to 20 siblings. Asthma prevalence was similar for all birth orders. In families with four or more children, asthma prevalence is inversely related to the number of children in the family. Asthma prevalence is similar for all birth orders. The similar asthma prevalence for all birth orders challenges the hygiene hypothesis as the mechanism for the decreased asthma prevalence in large families.

Stress in Latino Families Following an Adolescent’s Childbearing: Effects on Family Relationships and Siblings

PubMed Central

East, Patricia L.; Chien, Nina C.

2013-01-01

This study examined how increased stress in Latino families following an adolescent’s childbearing impacts family relationships and the adolescent’s siblings. Participants were 243 Mexican American youth (mean age: 13.7 years; 62% girls), or 121 youth who had a pregnant adolescent sister and 122 youth who had an adolescent sister who had never been pregnant. Youth and their mothers were studied at 4 time points across 15 months: The families of pregnant adolescents were studied when the adolescent sister was in her third trimester of pregnancy, and at 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum; the families of never-pregnant adolescents were studied at like intervals. Individual fixed-effects structural equation models were computed, which control for earlier measures of study constructs and thereby reduce omitted variable bias from preexisting family group differences. Results showed that an adolescent’s childbearing was related to increases in family stress, which were related to increases in mothers’ harsh parenting and mother–sibling conflict, which, in turn, were related to subsequent increases in siblings’ problem behavior. Multiple group analyses revealed that the pathways through which a teenager’s childbearing influences siblings operate similarly for girls and boys. Tests of an alternate ordering of model variables indicated a poor fit with the data. Findings provide evidence that the accumulation of stressful family changes following an adolescent’s childbearing can negatively impact siblings. Findings also elucidate how family-level stress and disruption experienced across a family transition trickle down to affect family relationships and, in turn, child family members. PMID:23458699

The impact of having a sibling with an intellectual disability: parental perspectives in two disorders.

PubMed

Mulroy, S; Robertson, L; Aiberti, K; Leonard, H; Bower, C

2008-03-01

The potential effects on other children when there is a child with intellectual disability (ID) in the family are being increasingly recognized. This study describes the impact of having a sibling with Down syndrome or Rett syndrome using a questionnaire completed by parents. The parents of 186 Western Australian children with Down syndrome and 141 Australian girls and women with Rett syndrome participated in the study. Patterns of reporting disadvantages and/or benefits were compared across a number of child and family variables (age, functional ability and birth order of the affected child, number of siblings and number of parents in the family home) and by socio-economic status as measured by the index of relative socio-economic disadvantage and by area of residence. Parents' responses to open-ended questions about the benefits and/or disadvantages for siblings of their child were analysed for themes. The majority of parents in the Rett syndrome and Down syndrome groups reported both disadvantages and benefits for siblings. In the Rett syndrome group, families from outer regional areas were the least likely to mention disadvantages and those with a smaller family more likely to note disadvantages. In both groups, more socio-economically advantaged families were more likely to report disadvantages. In the Down syndrome group, benefits were also more commonly reported by parents who were socio-economically advantaged, and by larger and two-parent families. Major disadvantages for siblings centred around parental and personal time constraints, relationships and socializing, restrictions, parental emotion and burden of helping. Major benefits were related to personality characteristics. Parents identified both benefits and disadvantages to the siblings of their child with either Rett syndrome or Down syndrome. It is important that these findings are incorporated into any discussion around the impact on the family of a child diagnosed with an ID.

Grey matter, an endophenotype for schizophrenia? A voxel-based morphometry study in siblings of patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

van der Velde, Jorien; Gromann, Paula M; Swart, Marte; de Haan, Lieuwe; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Krabbendam, Lydia; Aleman, André

2015-05-01

Grey matter, both volume and concentration, has been proposed as an endophenotype for schizophrenia given a number of reports of grey matter abnormalities in relatives of patients with schizophrenia. However, previous studies on grey matter abnormalities in relatives have produced inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to examine grey matter differences between controls and siblings of patients with schizophrenia and to examine whether the age, genetic loading or subclinical psychotic symptoms of selected individuals could explain the previously reported inconsistencies. We compared the grey matter volume and grey matter concentration of healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls matched for age, sex and education using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Furthermore, we selected subsamples based on age (< 30 yr), genetic loading and subclinical psychotic symptoms to examine whether this would lead to different results. We included 89 siblings and 69 controls in our study. The results showed that siblings and controls did not differ significantly on grey matter volume or concentration. Furthermore, specifically selecting participants based on age, genetic loading or subclinical psychotic symptoms did not alter these findings. The main limitation was that subdividing the sample resulted in smaller samples for the subanalyses. Furthermore, we used MRI data from 2 different scanner sites. These results indicate that grey matter measured through VBM might not be a suitable endophenotype for schizophrenia.

Sibling competition arena: selfing and a competition arena can combine to constitute a barrier to gene flow in sympatry.

PubMed

Gibson, A K; Hood, M E; Giraud, T

2012-06-01

Closely related species coexisting in sympatry provide critical insight into the mechanisms underlying speciation and the maintenance of genetic divergence. Selfing may promote reproductive isolation by facilitating local adaptation, causing reduced hybrid fitness in parental environments. Here, we propose a novel mechanism by which selfing can further impair interspecific gene flow: selfing may act to ensure that nonhybrid progeny systematically co-occur whenever hybrid genotypes are produced. Under a competition arena, the fitness differentials between nonhybrid and hybrid progeny are then magnified, preventing development of interspecific hybrids. We investigate whether this "sibling competition arena" can explain the coexistence in sympatry of closely related species of the plant fungal pathogens (Microbotryum) causing anther-smut disease. The probabilities of intrapromycelial mating (automixis), outcrossing, and sibling competition were manipulated in artificial inoculations to evaluate their contribution to reproductive isolation. We report that both intrapromycelial selfing and sibling competition significantly reduced rates of hybrid infection beyond that expected based solely upon selfing rates and noncompetitive fitness differentials between hybrid and nonhybrid progeny. Our results thus suggest that selfing and a sibling competition arena can combine to constitute a barrier to gene flow and diminish selection for additional barriers to gene flow in sympatry. © 2012 The Author(s). Evolution © 2012 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Reciprocal preening and food sharing in colour-polymorphic nestling barn owls.

PubMed

Roulin, A; Des Monstiers, B; Ifrid, E; Da Silva, A; Genzoni, E; Dreiss, A N

2016-02-01

Barn owl (Tyto alba) siblings preen and offer food items to one another, behaviours that can be considered prosocial because they benefit a conspecific by relieving distress or need. In experimental broods, we analysed whether such behaviours were reciprocated, preferentially exchanged between specific phenotypes, performed to avoid harassment and food theft or signals of hierarchy status. Three of the results are consistent with the hypothesis of direct reciprocity. First, food sharing was reciprocated in three-chick broods but not in pairs of siblings, that is when nestlings could choose a partner with whom to develop a reciprocating interaction. Second, a nestling was more likely to give a prey item to its sibling if the latter individual had preened the former. Third, siblings matched their investment in preening each other. Manipulation of age hierarchy showed that food stealing was directed towards older siblings but was not performed to compensate for a low level of cooperation received. Social behaviours were related to melanin-based coloration, suggesting that animals may signal their propensity to interact socially. The most prosocial phenotype (darker reddish) was also the phenotype that stole more food, and the effect of coloration on prosocial behaviour depended upon rank and sex, suggesting that colour-related prosociality is state dependent. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

A study of the birth weight-obesity relation using a longitudinal cohort and sibling and twin pairs.

PubMed

The, Natalie S; Adair, Linda S; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2010-09-01

Sibling and twin study designs provide control for confounding factors that are typically unmeasured in traditional cohort studies. Using nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health collected at 3 visits during 1994-2002, the authors evaluated the longitudinal association between birth weight and later obesity in a traditional cohort study (n = 13,763; ages 11-21 years at baseline), controlling for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and parental education. Among persons with a nonobese mother, high birth weight (>4 kg) participants were more likely than normal birth weight (>/=2.5-

Sperm selection and genetic incompatibility: does relatedness of mates affect male success in sperm competition?

PubMed Central

Stockley, P.

1999-01-01

Sperm selection may be said to occur if females influence the relative success of ejaculates competing to fertilize their ova. Most evidence that female animals or their ova are capable of sperm selection relates to male genetic incompatibility, although relatively few studies focus on competition between conspecific males. Here I look for evidence of sperm selection with respect to relatedness of mates. Reduced fitness or inbreeding effects in offspring resulting from copulations between close relatives are well documented. If females are capable of sperm selection, they might therefore be expected to discriminate against the sperm of sibling males during sperm competition. I describe an experimental protocol designed to test for evidence of sperm selection while controlling for inbreeding effects. Using decorated field crickets (Gryllodes supplicans), I found that sibling males achieved lower fertilization success in competition with a male unrelated to the female than in competition with another sibling more frequently than expected by chance, although the mean paternity values did not differ significantly between treatments. The tendancy for sibling males to achieve relatively lower fertilization success in competition with males unrelated to the female could not be explained by the effects of increased ejaculate allocation, female control of sperm transfer or inbreeding. This study therefore provides some evidence in support of the idea that female insects (or their ova) may be capable of selection against sperm on the basis of genetic similarity of conspecific males.

Do children with gender dysphoria have intense/obsessional interests?

PubMed

VanderLaan, Doug P; Postema, Lori; Wood, Hayley; Singh, Devita; Fantus, Sophia; Hyun, Jessica; Leef, Jonathan; Bradley, Susan J; Zucker, Kenneth J

2015-01-01

This study examined whether children clinically referred for gender dysphoria (GD) show increased symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Circumscribed preoccupations or intense interests were considered as overlapping symptoms expressed in GD and ASD. In gender-referred children (n = 534; 82.2% male) and their siblings (n = 419; 57.5% male), we examined Items 9 and 66 on the Child Behavior Checklist, which measure obsessions and compulsions, respectively. Non-GD clinic-referred (n = 1,201; 48.5% male) and nonreferred (n = 1,201; 48.5% male) children were also examined. Gender-referred children were elevated compared to all other groups for Item 9, and compared to siblings and nonreferred children for Item 66. A gender-related theme was significantly more common for gender-referred boys than male siblings on Item 9 only. A gender-related theme was not significantly more common for gender-referred girls compared to their female siblings on either item. The findings for Item 9 support the idea that children with GD show an elevation in obsessional interests. For gender-referred boys in particular, gender-related themes constituted more than half of the examples provided by their mothers. Intense/obsessional interests in children with GD may be one of the factors underlying the purported link between GD and ASD.

Action Monitoring in boys with ADHD, their Nonaffected Siblings and Normal Controls: Evidence for an Endophenotype

PubMed Central

Albrecht, Bjoern; Brandeis, Daniel; Uebel, Henrik; Heinrich, Hartmut; Mueller, Ueli C.; Hasselhorn, Marcus; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Rothenberger, Aribert; Banaschewski, Tobias

2008-01-01

Background Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a very common and highly heritable child psychiatric disorder associated with dysfunctions in fronto-striatal networks that control attention and response organisation. Aim of this study was to investigate whether features of action monitoring related to dopaminergic functions represent endophenotypes which are brain functions on the pathway from genes and environmental risk factors to behaviour. Methods Action monitoring and error processing as indicated by behavioural and electrophysiological parameters during a flanker task were examined in boys with ADHD combined type according to DSM-IV (N=68), their nonaffected siblings (N=18) and healthy controls with no known family history of ADHD (N=22). Results Boys with ADHD displayed slower and more variable reaction-times. Error negativity (Ne) was smaller in boys with ADHD compared to healthy controls, while nonaffected siblings displayed intermediate amplitudes following a linear model predicted by genetic concordance. The three groups did not differ on error positivity (Pe). N2 amplitude enhancement due to conflict (incongruent flankers) was reduced in the ADHD group. Nonaffected siblings also displayed intermediate N2 enhancement. Conclusions Converging evidence from behavioural and ERP findings suggests that action monitoring and initial error processing, both related to dopaminergically modulated functions of anterior cingulate cortex, might be an endophenotype related to ADHD. PMID:18339358

Profiles of sibling bullying.

PubMed

Skinner, Jessica A; Kowalski, Robin M

2013-05-01

Considerable research has been done on childhood bullying, including its antecedents and consequences. Yet, with all of the attention on bullying, particularly school bullying, sibling bullying has been vastly overlooked. Sibling bullying is a type of violence prevalent in the lives of most children, but little is known about the phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to profile sibling bullying by examining prevalence rates, the extent to which siblings perceive sibling bullying to be normative, and victim-perpetrator differences in perceptions of sibling bullying. Twenty-seven sibling pairs who wrote stories about personal experiences of sibling bullying and victimization completed questionnaires about these experiences and responded to their sibling partners' stories. Of the siblings surveyed, 78% reported being bullied by their sibling and 85% reported bullying their sibling during their childhood. This is far greater than published statistics on peer bullying. Not surprisingly, victims viewed sibling bullying more negatively than perpetrators. Sadly, there was a norm of acceptance of sibling bullying among most of the sibling pairs. Practical implications are discussed.

The effects of sibling relationships on social adjustment among Japanese twins compared with singletons.

PubMed

Nozaki, Mari; Fujisawa, Keiko K; Ando, Juko; Hasegawa, Toshikazu

2012-12-01

This study examined the link between sibling relationships and children's social adjustment by comparing twin siblings and siblings with different ages (singleton siblings}, and clarified the role of reciprocity in sibling relationships on children's social development. Mothers of 58 monozygotic twin pairs, 48 dizygotic twin pairs, and 86 singleton sibling pairs reported their children's sibling relationships and social adjustment.This study showed that the effects of sibling relationships on the prosocial behaviors and conduct problems of each child are stronger for twins than for singleton siblings. Moreover, positivity toward one's sibling increased peer problems only among monozygotic twins. The opposite tendency was present among dizygotic twins and singleton siblings. This study suggests the importance for children's social development of having many interactions with siblings and establishing reciprocity in sibling relationships. Moreover, our results suggest that the quality of sibling relationships among monozygotic twins may be different from those among dizygotic twins and singleton siblings.

Sibling Aggression: Sex Differences and Parents' Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jacqueline L.; Ross, Hildy S.

2005-01-01

Thirty-nine families were observed extensively at home when children were 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 years of age and again 2 years later. The Social Relations Model is used to investigate children's sex differences in aggression and parents' prohibiting aggression during sibling conflict. In the first observation period, boys engaged in more severe and mild…

Parent Support of Preschool Peer Relationships in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estes, Annette; Munson, Jeffrey; St. John, Tanya; Dager, Stephen R.; Rodda, Amy; Botteron, Kelly; Hazlett, Heather; Schultz, Robert T.; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Piven, Joseph; Guralnick, Michael J.; Chappell, J. C.; Dager, S.; Shaw, D; McKinstry, R.; Constantino, J.; Pruett, J.; Schultz, R.; Paterson, S.; Evans, A. C.; Collins, D. L.; Pike, G. B.; Kostopolous, P.; Das, S.; Gerig, G.; Styner, M.; Gu, H.; Sullivan, P.; Wright, G.

2018-01-01

Preschool-aged siblings of children with ASD are at high-risk (HR) for ASD and related challenges, but little is known about their emerging peer competence and friendships. Parents are the main providers of peer-relationship opportunities during preschool. Understanding parental challenges supporting early peer relationships is needed for optimal…

Atypical Activation during the Embedded Figures Task as a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Endophenotype of Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Michael D.; Holt, Rosemary J.; Chura, Lindsay R.; Calder, Andrew J.; Suckling, John; Bullmore, Edward T.; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2012-01-01

Atypical activation during the Embedded Figures Task has been demonstrated in autism, but has not been investigated in siblings or related to measures of clinical severity. We identified atypical activation during the Embedded Figures Task in participants with autism and unaffected siblings compared with control subjects in a number of temporal…

Differential Susceptibility Effects: The Interaction of Negative Emotionality and Sibling Relationship Quality on Childhood Internalizing Problems and Social Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Judith K.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Olino, Thomas M.

2012-01-01

Whereas socialization influences in early childhood have been linked to children's emerging internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, relatively few studies have examined how NE might moderate such associations in both advantageous and maladaptive ways. Furthermore, more research is needed to evaluate the impact of sibling relationships as an…

The Relation between the Absolute Level of Parenting and Differential Parental Treatment with Adolescent Siblings' Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamrouti-Makkink, Ilse D.; Dubas, Judith Semon; Gerris, Jan R. M.; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

2004-01-01

Background: The present study extends existing studies on the role of differential parental treatment in explaining individual differences in adolescent problem behaviors above the absolute level of parenting and clarifies the function of gender of the child, birth rank and gender constellation of the sibling dyads. Method: The absolute level of…

Similar or Different?: The Importance of Similarities and Differences for Support between Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voorpostel, Marieke; van der Lippe, Tanja; Dykstra, Pearl A.; Flap, Henk

2007-01-01

Using a large-scale Dutch national sample (N = 7,126), the authors examine the importance of similarities and differences in the sibling dyad for the provision of support. Similarities are assumed to enhance attraction and empathy; differences are assumed to be related to different possibilities for exchange. For helping with housework, helping…

Autism Spectrum Disorder Risk Factors and Autistic Traits in Gender Dysphoric Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanderLaan, Doug P.; Leef, Jonathan H.; Wood, Hayley; Hughes, S. Kathleen; Zucker, Kenneth J.

2015-01-01

Gender dysphoria (GD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated. In 49 GD children (40 natal males), we examined ASD risk factors (i.e., birth weight, parental age, sibling sex ratio) in relation to autistic traits. Data were gathered on autistic traits, birth weight, parents' ages at birth, sibling sex ratio, gender nonconformity, age,…

Television, Video Game and Social Media Use among Children with ASD and Typically Developing Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurek, Micah O.; Wenstrup, Colleen

2013-01-01

This study examined the nature of television, video game, and social media use in children (ages 8-18) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD, n = 202) compared to typically developing siblings (TD, n = 179), and relative to other activities. Parents completed measures assessing children's screen-based and other extracurricular activities. Children…

Differences in child versus parent reports of the child's health-related quality of life in children with epilepsy and healthy siblings.

PubMed

Baca, Christine Bower; Vickrey, Barbara G; Hays, Ron D; Vassar, Stefanie D; Berg, Anne T

2010-01-01

Self versus proxy perspectives may produce different results that are important for clinical decision-making and for assessing outcomes in research studies. We examined differences in child versus parent report of the child's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a large prospective, community-based study of newly diagnosed childhood epilepsy that included children with epilepsy (case) and sibling controls. HRQOL was assessed 8 to 9 years after initial diagnosis of epilepsy in a subset of 143 case-control matched pairs using the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), a generic HRQOL measure with child (CHQ-CF87), and parent (CHQ-PF50) versions. There were no significant differences between self-reported case and sibling control HRQOL scores on 9 of 11 scales or 2 global items. Nevertheless, parent ratings were significantly better (higher HRQOL) for sibling controls compared with epilepsy cases on 10 of 12 scales, global behavior and general health items, and the physical and psychosocial summary scores (P≤0.05). Parent-child agreement was low for cases and controls (kappa 0.27-0.33) for three single-item questions with the same wording on parent and child versions. Parent ratings of the case's HRQOL were often significantly associated with 5-year remission status and current antiepileptic drug use, but the case's self-reported HRQOL scores were not. In contrast, current pharmacoresistance was often associated with the child and parent ratings of the child's HRQOL. Children with epilepsy report HRQOL that is comparable to that of sibling controls, while parents rate children with epilepsy as having lower HRQOL than sibling controls. Measuring outcomes in studies of this population should incorporate both perspectives. © 2010, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Sibship size, birth order and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and infectious mononucleosis: a nationwide study in Sweden.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiwei; Fang, Fang; Chang, Ellen T; Adami, Hans-Olov; Ye, Weimin

2016-06-01

The aetiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains enigmatic in endemic and non-endemic areas. Early-life infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may predispose to NPC development, whereas delayed primary infection with EBV may cause infectious mononucleosis (IM). We used Swedish population and health registers to investigate whether potential indicators of early EBV infection, such as birth order, sibship size, maternal age and paternal age, are related to the subsequent risks for NPC and IM. We conducted two nested case-control studies, one for each health outcome, based on 251 NPC case patients, 11 314 IM case patients and five population control subjects per case matched by birth year and sex. We used conditional logistic regression modelling to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NPC and IM. The multivariate-adjusted ORs of developing NPC increased with number of siblings; the ORs associated with having one, two and three or more siblings, compared with none, were 1.59 (95% CI = 0.97, 2.62), 1.94 (95% CI = 1.17, 3.22), and 2.03 (95% CI = 1.23, 3.35), respectively (Ptrend = 0.006). This increased risk of NPC was explained mainly by having older rather than younger siblings. In contrast, lower risks of IM were observed among individuals with an increasing number of older siblings, younger siblings and total siblings. Early-life social environment, possibly related to EBV infection, contributes to NPC pathogenesis in non-endemic areas. This hypothesis is further supported by the clearly contrasting findings between NPC and IM. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

The influence of birth order and number of siblings on adolescent body composition: evidence from a Brazilian birth cohort study.

PubMed

de Oliveira Meller, Fernanda; Assunção, M C F; Schäfer, A A; de Mola, C L; Barros, A J D; Dahly, D L; Barros, F C

2015-07-14

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between birth order and number of siblings with body composition in adolescents. Data are from a birth cohort study conducted in Pelotas, Brazil. At the age of 18 years, 4563 adolescents were located, of whom 4106 were interviewed (follow-up rate 81.3 %). Of these, 3974 had complete data and were thus included in our analysis. The variables used in the analysis were measured during the perinatal period, or at 11, 15 and/or 18 years of age. Body composition at 18 years was collected by air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD®). Crude and adjusted analyses of the association between birth order and number of siblings with body composition were performed using linear regression. All analyses were stratified by the adolescent sex. The means of BMI, fat mass index and fat-free mass index among adolescents were 23.4 (sd 4.5) kg/m², 6.1 (sd 3.9) kg/m² and 17.3 (sd 2.5) kg/m², respectively. In adjusted models, the total siblings remained inversely associated with fat mass index (β = - 0.37 z-scores, 95 % CI - 0.52, - 0.23) and BMI in boys (β = - 0.39 z-scores, 95 % CI - 0.55, - 0.22). Fat-free mass index was related to the total siblings in girls (β = 0.06 z-scores, 95 % CI - 0.04, 0.17). This research has found that number of total siblings, and not birth order, is related to the fat mass index, fat-free mass index and BMI in adolescents. It suggests the need for early prevention of obesity or fat mass accumulation in only children.

Nuclear Cataract Shows Significant Familial Aggregation in an Older Population after Adjustment for Possible Shared Environmental Factors

PubMed Central

Congdon, Nathan; Broman, Karl W.; Lai, Hong; Munoz, Beatriz; Bowie, Heidi; Gilber, Donna; Wojciechowski, Robert; Alston, Christine; West, Sheila K.

2011-01-01

Purpose To quantify the association between siblings in age-related nuclear cataract, after adjusting for known environmental and personal risk factors. Methods All participants (probands) in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) project and their locally resident siblings underwent digital slit lamp photography and were administered a questionnaire to assess risk factors for cataract including: age, gender, lifetime sun exposure, smoking and diabetes history, and use of alcohol and medications such as estrogens and steroids. In addition, blood pressure, body mass index, and serum antioxidants were measured in all participants. Lens photographs were graded by trained observers masked to the subjects' identity, using the Wilmer Cataract Grading System. The odds ratio for siblings for affectedness with nuclear cataract and the sibling correlation of nuclear cataract grade, after adjusting for covariates, were estimated with generalized estimating equations. Results Among 307 probands (mean age, 77.6 ± 4.5 years) and 434 full siblings (mean age, 72.4 ± 7.4 years), the average sibship size was 2.7 per family. After adjustment for covariates, the probability of development of nuclear cataract was significantly increased (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30–3.30) among individuals with a sibling with nuclear cataract (nuclear grade ≥ 3.0). The final fitted model indicated a magnitude of heritability for nuclear cataract of 35.6% (95% CI: 21.0%–50.3%) after adjustment for the covariates. Conclusions Findings in this study are consistent with a genetic effect for age-related nuclear cataract, a common and clinically significant form of lens opacity. PMID:15223793

Preservation of cognitive and functional ability as markers of longevity.

PubMed

Schupf, Nicole; Costa, Rosann; Tang, Ming-Xin; Andrews, Howard; Tycko, Benjamin; Lee, Joseph H; Mayeux, Richard

2004-10-01

Longevity is a complex biological process for which the phenotypes have not been established. Preservation of cognitive and physical function may be important and preservation of these functions is, in part, inherited. We investigated the relation between rate of change in cognitive and functional abilities in probands and risk of death in their siblings. Probands were classified as showing no decline, slow, medium, or rapid rate of decline, based on the slope of change in cognitive and physical/functional factors over three or more assessments. Siblings of probands who did not decline on measures of memory, visuospatial/cognitive function or ADL skills were approximately half as likely to die as siblings of probands who had the most rapid decline. The reduction in risk of death in siblings of probands who did not decline in was primarily observed among siblings of probands who were older than 75 years, suggesting that genetic influences on life span may be greater at older ages. There was no association between probands' rate of change in language, IADL skills, upper or lower extremity mobility and risk of death in siblings. The results of the present study identify phenotypes associated with preserved cognitive and functional abilities which may serve as markers for longevity.

Experiences of offspring searching for and contacting their donor siblings and donor.

PubMed

Jadva, Vasanti; Freeman, Tabitha; Kramer, Wendy; Golombok, Susan

2010-04-01

This study investigates a new phenomenon whereby individuals conceived by donor insemination are searching for and contacting their donor and/or 'donor siblings' (i.e. donor offspring conceived by the same donor who are their genetic half siblings). On-line questionnaires were completed by members of the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), a US-based registry that facilitates contact between donor conception families who share the same donor. Of the 165 donor offspring who completed the survey, 15% were searching for their donor siblings, 13% were searching for their donor, and 64% were searching for both. Differences were found according to family type and age of disclosure. Fewer offspring from heterosexual couple families had told their father about their search when compared with offspring from lesbian couple families who had told their co-parent. Offspring who had found out about their conception after age 18 were more likely to be searching for medical reasons, whereas those who had found out before age 18 tended to be searching out of curiosity. Some offspring had discovered large numbers of half siblings (maximum=13). The majority of offspring who had found their donor relations reported positive experiences and remained in regular contact with them. Copyright (c) 2010 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sibling cooperative and externalizing behaviors in families raising children with disabilities.

PubMed

Platt, Christine; Roper, Susanne Olsen; Mandleco, Barbara; Freeborn, Donna

2014-01-01

Raising a child with a disability (CWD) in the home is increasing across the globe. Because of caregiver burden and the complexity of care, there is growing concern for typically developing sibling (TDS) outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine whether caregiver burden, parenting style, and sibling relationships in families raising a CWD are associated with cooperative and externalizing behaviors in TDS. This correlational study included 189 families raising both a CWD and a TDS. Multilevel modeling was used to identify which variables were most predictive of TDS outcomes and if there were parent gender effects. Authoritative parenting was positively associated with cooperative behaviors. Authoritarian parenting was positively associated with externalizing behaviors. Multilevel modeling revealed caregiver burden was a significant predictor of sibling behaviors in the first model. When parenting style was added as a predictor, it was also significant. When sibling relationships were added as predictors, they were significant predictors for both cooperative and externalizing TDS behaviors; however, caregiver burden was no longer significant. Authoritarian parenting significantly predicted externalizing behaviors, and authoritative parenting was significantly related to cooperative behaviors. In families raising a CWD, positive sibling relationships may help negate the effects of caregiver burden and are more predictive of TDS outcomes than some parenting practices.

Sibling rivalry: training effects, emergence of dominance and incomplete control.

PubMed

Benhaiem, Sarah; Hofer, Heribert; Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie; Brunner, Edgar; East, Marion L

2012-09-22

Within-brood or -litter dominance provides fitness-related benefits if dominant siblings selfishly skew access to food provided by parents in their favour. Models of facultative siblicide assume that dominants exert complete control over their subordinate sibling's access to food and that control is maintained, irrespective of the subordinate's hunger level. By contrast, a recent functional hypothesis suggests that subordinates should contest access to food when the cost of not doing so is high. Here, we show that within spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) twin litters, dominants most effectively skew access to maternal milk in their favour when their aggression prompts a highly submissive response. When hungry, subordinates were less submissive in response to aggression, thereby decreasing lost suckling time and increasing suckling time lost by dominants. In a species where adult females socially dominate adult males, juvenile females were more often dominant than males in mixed-sex litters, and subordinate sisters used more effective counter-tactics against dominant brothers than subordinate brothers against dominant sisters. Our results provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence in a mammal that dominant offspring in twin litters do not exert complete control over their sibling's access to resources (milk), and that sibling dominance relationships are influenced by sibling sex and training effects.

Sibling rivalry: training effects, emergence of dominance and incomplete control

PubMed Central

Benhaiem, Sarah; Hofer, Heribert; Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie; Brunner, Edgar; East, Marion L.

2012-01-01

Within-brood or -litter dominance provides fitness-related benefits if dominant siblings selfishly skew access to food provided by parents in their favour. Models of facultative siblicide assume that dominants exert complete control over their subordinate sibling's access to food and that control is maintained, irrespective of the subordinate's hunger level. By contrast, a recent functional hypothesis suggests that subordinates should contest access to food when the cost of not doing so is high. Here, we show that within spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) twin litters, dominants most effectively skew access to maternal milk in their favour when their aggression prompts a highly submissive response. When hungry, subordinates were less submissive in response to aggression, thereby decreasing lost suckling time and increasing suckling time lost by dominants. In a species where adult females socially dominate adult males, juvenile females were more often dominant than males in mixed-sex litters, and subordinate sisters used more effective counter-tactics against dominant brothers than subordinate brothers against dominant sisters. Our results provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence in a mammal that dominant offspring in twin litters do not exert complete control over their sibling's access to resources (milk), and that sibling dominance relationships are influenced by sibling sex and training effects. PMID:22719032

Sibling cooperation in earwig families provides insights into the early evolution of social life.

PubMed

Falk, Joachim; Wong, Janine W Y; Kölliker, Mathias; Meunier, Joël

2014-04-01

The evolutionary transition from solitary to social life is driven by direct and indirect fitness benefits of social interactions. Understanding the conditions promoting the early evolution of social life therefore requires identification of these benefits in nonderived social systems, such as animal families where offspring are mobile and able to disperse and will survive independently. Family life is well known to provide benefits to offspring through parental care, but research on sibling interactions generally focused on fitness costs to offspring due to competitive behaviors. Here we show experimentally that sibling interactions also reflect cooperative behaviors in the form of food sharing in nonderived families of the European earwig, Forficula auricularia. Food ingested by individual offspring was transferred to their siblings through mouth-to-anus contacts and active allo-coprophagy. These transfers occurred in both the presence and the absence of the tending mothers, even though the direct contact with the mothers limited sibling food sharing. Neither food deprivation or relatedness influenced the total amount of transferred food, but relatedness affected frass release and the behavioral mechanisms mediating food sharing. Related offspring obtained food predominately through allo-coprophagy, whereas unrelated offspring obtained food through mouth-to-anus contacts. Overall, this study emphasizes that sibling cooperation may be a key process promoting the early evolution of social life.

Poor nutrition is a serious problem in children with cerebral palsy in Palawan, the Philippines.

PubMed

Socrates, C; Grantham-McGregor, S M; Harknett, S G; Seal, A J

2000-09-01

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) in developed countries have poor nutritional status; however there is little data from developing countries. In Palawan, in the Philippines, the nutritional status of 31 children with CP was compared to that of their siblings (n = 20) and a control group of neighbourhood children (n = 64), matched for age and sex. The children's weights, heights and armspans were measured. The heights of children with CP could not be measured and were estimated from their armspans using an equation relating height to armspan in siblings and controls. Haemoglobin levels of the study cases and siblings were measured. Siblings and controls had similar nutritional status. The children with CP had extremely poor nutritional status, and had significantly smaller weights for height, heights for age and weights for age than siblings or controls. Haemoglobin levels were not significantly different between the children with CP and their siblings. The nutritional status of children with quadriplegic CP was much poorer than that of similar children in the USA. The severity of malnutrition in children with CP is likely to be detrimental to their development, and a nutritional component should be incorporated into rehabilitation programmes. Also, there is a need to examine the nutritional status of children with CP in other developing countries.

Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Female Undergraduate Students in Wuhan, China: The Only-Child versus Students with Siblings

PubMed Central

Li, Shiyue; Chen, Rucheng; Cao, Yue; Li, Jingjing; Zuo, Dan; Yan, Hong

2013-01-01

Objectives This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. Methods Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergraduates. Results Of 4,769 female undergraduate students, 41.0% were only-child and 59.0% were students with siblings. Compared with students with siblings, only-child students scored higher on sex-related knowledge, were more inclined to agree with premarital sex, multiple sex partners, one-night stands, extramarital lovers and homosexuality, and were more likely to have a boyfriend and experience sexual intercourse (73.6% vs. 61.4%; 24.0% vs. 14.0%). Only-children were less likely to experience coercion at first sex and have first sexual intercourse with men not their “boyfriends” than children with siblings (3.3% vs. 6.4%; 20.7% vs. 28.8%). There were no significant differences on other risky sexual behaviors (e.g. multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use) between the only-child students and students with siblings. Conclusions Sexual knowledge, attitudes and some practices of only-child female undergraduates were different from students with siblings. Intervention should be designed according to different requirements of only-children and non-only-children. PMID:24023905

Sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female undergraduate students in Wuhan, China: the only-child versus students with siblings.

PubMed

Li, Shiyue; Chen, Rucheng; Cao, Yue; Li, Jingjing; Zuo, Dan; Yan, Hong

2013-01-01

This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergraduates. Of 4,769 female undergraduate students, 41.0% were only-child and 59.0% were students with siblings. Compared with students with siblings, only-child students scored higher on sex-related knowledge, were more inclined to agree with premarital sex, multiple sex partners, one-night stands, extramarital lovers and homosexuality, and were more likely to have a boyfriend and experience sexual intercourse (73.6% vs. 61.4%; 24.0% vs. 14.0%). Only-children were less likely to experience coercion at first sex and have first sexual intercourse with men not their "boyfriends" than children with siblings (3.3% vs. 6.4%; 20.7% vs. 28.8%). There were no significant differences on other risky sexual behaviors (e.g. multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use) between the only-child students and students with siblings. Sexual knowledge, attitudes and some practices of only-child female undergraduates were different from students with siblings. Intervention should be designed according to different requirements of only-children and non-only-children.

Impact of social support on bereaved siblings' anxiety: a nationwide follow-up.

PubMed

Eilertsen, Mary-Elizabeth Bradley; Eilegård, Alexandra; Steineck, Gunnar; Nyberg, Tommy; Kreicbergs, Ulrika

2013-01-01

To assess adolescent and young adult siblings' perception of social support prior to and following the loss of their brother or sister to cancer, 2 to 9 years earlier, and their anxiety at follow-up. In 2009, 174 (73%) bereaved siblings (12-25 years) participated in a nationwide, long-term follow-up study in Sweden using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to measure self-assessed anxiety. Siblings had a higher risk of anxiety if they perceived their need for social support was unsatisfied during their brother or sisters' last month before death, relative risk (RR) = 3.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.8-7.3); time after death, RR = 2.9 (95% CI = 1.5-5.6); and at follow-up, RR = 3.8 (95% CI = 2.0-7.2). Furthermore, a higher risk for anxiety was shown for siblings if they did not perceive that their parents and neighbors cared for them after their brother or sisters' death, RR = 2.7 (95% CI = 1.3-5.5), RR = 5.4 (95% CI = 1.3-21.9), respectively. Bereaved siblings had a greater probability to report self-assessed anxiety if they perceived that their need for social support was not satisfied prior to and following death. Information from both nurses and other health care professionals to families about the impact of social support may contribute to lessen the siblings' risk of anxiety.

Identification and characterization of integrin-binding sialoprotein (IBSP) genes in reptile and amphibian.

PubMed

Shintani, Seikou; Kamakura, Naofumi; Kobata, Mitsuhiko; Toyosawa, Satoru; Onishi, Tomoyuki; Sato, Akie; Kawasaki, Kazuhiko; Weiss, Kenneth M; Ooshima, Takashi

2008-11-15

Integrin-binding sialoprotein (IBSP) is a member of the small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING) family; and the whole SIBLING family is further included in a larger secretory calcium-binding phosphoprotein (SCPP) family. SIBLING proteins are known to construct a part of the non-collagenous extracellular matrices of calcified tissues, and considered to have arisen by duplication and subsequent divergent evolution of a single ancient gene. To understand the alterations of SIBLING molecules associated with the evolution of calcified tissues in vertebrates, we initiated a search for lower vertebrate orthologs of SIBLING genes. In the present study, an IBSP ortholog from a reptile (caiman) and two distinct orthologs from an amphibian (African clawed toad) were identified and characterized. As expected, the toad IBSP genes were transcribed only in calcified tissue (jaw and tibia), as also seen in mammals. The caiman, toad, avian, and mammalian IBSPs share several unique features specific for IBSP and apparently have similar properties. Furthermore, analysis of the sequences suggested that the IBSP molecule might have gradually intensified its functions related to calcification during its evolutionary process through tetrapods.

Bullied by Siblings and Peers: The Role of Rejecting/Neglecting Parenting and Friendship Quality Among Korean Children.

PubMed

Kim, Jingu; Kim, Eunha

2016-07-01

The primary aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect links of rejecting/neglecting parenting, sibling victimization, and friendship quality with peer victimization using a convenience sample of 584 Korean children in Grades 3 to 6. In addition, we tested whether these associations differed between male and female students. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the data. The results revealed rejecting/neglecting parenting indirectly influenced peer victimization through sibling victimization for both males and females, although such effects were stronger for females than males. Sibling victimization had a direct effect on peer victimization across both sexes, although it indirectly influenced peer victimization through poor friendship quality only for males. Therefore, bullying prevention and intervention programs must involve parents to make them aware of the important role they play in this process and to improve their parenting styles and involvement in sibling conflicts. Furthermore, while the role of friendship quality needs to be highlighted to prevent peer victimization among males, future research continues to explore other peer variables that are related to decreased peer victimization for females.

Sibling sex ratio and birth order in early-onset gender dysphoric adolescents.

PubMed

Schagen, Sebastian E E; Delemarre-van de Waal, Henriette A; Blanchard, Ray; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T

2012-06-01

Several sibship-related variables have been studied extensively in sexual orientation research, especially in men. Sibling sex ratio refers to the ratio of brothers to sisters in the aggregate sibships of a group of probands. Birth order refers to the probands' position (e.g., first-born, middle-born, last-born) within their sibships. Fraternal birth order refers to their position among male siblings only. Such research was extended in this study to a large group of early-onset gender dysphoric adolescents. The probands comprised 94 male-to-female and 95 female-to-male gender dysphoric adolescents. The overwhelming majority of these were homosexual or probably prehomosexual. The control group consisted of 875 boys and 914 girls from the TRAILS study. The sibling sex ratio of the gender dysphoric boys was very high (241 brothers per 100 sisters) compared with the expected ratio (106:100). The excess of brothers was more extreme among the probands' older siblings (300:100) than among their younger siblings (195:100). Between-groups comparisons showed that the gender dysphoric boys had significantly more older brothers, and significantly fewer older sisters and younger sisters, than did the control boys. In contrast, the only notable finding for the female groups was that the gender dysphoric girls had significantly fewer total siblings than did the control girls. The results for the male probands were consistent with prior speculations that a high fraternal birth order (i.e., an excess of older brothers) is found in all homosexual male groups, but an elevated sibling sex ratio (usually caused by an additional, smaller excess of younger brothers) is characteristic of gender dysphoric homosexual males. The mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain unknown.

School attendance in childhood cancer survivors and their siblings.

PubMed

French, Amy E; Tsangaris, Elena; Barrera, Maru; Guger, Sharon; Brown, Robert; Urbach, Stacey; Stephens, Derek; Nathan, Paul C

2013-01-01

To investigate school absenteeism among childhood cancer survivors and their siblings and examine factors related to absenteeism in survivors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among consecutive cancer survivors attending a large pediatric cancer survivor clinic. Absenteeism rates were obtained for survivors and their closest in age sibling from school report cards. Absenteeism was compared with a population control group of 167752 students using 1-sample t tests. The Child Vulnerability Scale, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and Behavior Assessment System for Children were administered to survivors. Univariate and multiple regression analyses assessed variables associated with days absent. One hundred thirty-one survivors (median age at assessment: 13.4 years, range 8.0-19.2; median age at diagnosis: 9.4 years, range 4.3-17.3) and 77 siblings (median age at assessment: 13 years, age range 7-18) participated. Survivors and siblings missed significantly more school days than the population control group (mean ± SD: 9.6 ± 9.2 and 9.9 ± 9.8 vs 5.0 ± 5.6 days, respectively, P < .0001). Among matched survivor-sibling pairs (N = 77), there was no difference in absenteeism (9.6 ± 9.2 vs 9.9 ± 9.8 days, P = .85). Absenteeism in survivors was significantly associated with a low Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Physical Health Summary Score (P = .01). Parents' perception of their child's vulnerability and emotional and social functioning were not associated with absenteeism. Childhood cancer survivors and siblings miss more school than the general population. The only predictor of absenteeism in survivors is poor physical quality of health. More research should be devoted to school attendance and other outcomes in siblings of childhood cancer survivors. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in parents after the death of a child from cancer.

PubMed

Gilmer, Mary Jo; Foster, Terrah L; Vannatta, Kathryn; Barrera, Maru; Davies, Betty; Dietrich, Mary S; Fairclough, Diane L; Grollman, Jamie; Gerhardt, Cynthia A

2012-10-01

Few studies have compared multiple perspectives of changes experienced by parents after a child's death. This study used interviews with bereaved parents and siblings to examine changes in parents during the first year after the death of a child from cancer. Mothers (n=36), fathers (n=24), and siblings (n=39) from 40 families were recruited from three hospitals in the U.S. and Canada three to 12 months after the death (M=10.7, SD=3.5). Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted in the home with each participating parent and sibling separately. Content analysis identified emerging themes, and frequencies were compared between each paired set of reports (mother vs. sibling, father vs. sibling, and mother vs. father). Parents and siblings identified two major categories of change experienced by bereaved parents. These changes occurred in their personal lives (e.g., emotions, perspectives and priorities, physical state, work habits, coping/behaviors, spiritual beliefs, and feeling something is missing) and relationships (e.g., family, others). Ninety-four percent of the mothers, 87% of the fathers, and 69% of the siblings reported parental changes in at least one of these categories. Parents were more likely to report changes in priorities, whereas siblings reported more sadness in parents after the death. Positive and negative changes in parents after the death of a child from cancer occur in both personal and relational domains. Additional research is needed to determine the impact of a child's death on bereaved parents over time and to develop strategies to promote healthy adjustment. Copyright © 2012 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of friends and siblings on the physical activity and screen viewing behaviours of children aged 5–6 years: a qualitative analysis of parent interviews

PubMed Central

Edwards, M J; Jago, R; Sebire, S J; Kesten, J M; Pool, L; Thompson, J L

2015-01-01

Objectives The present study uses qualitative data to explore parental perceptions of how their young child's screen viewing and physical activity behaviours are influenced by their child's friends and siblings. Design Telephone interviews were conducted with parents of year 1 children (age 5–6 years). Interviews considered parental views on a variety of issues related to their child's screen viewing and physical activity behaviours, including the influence that their child's friends and siblings have over such behaviours. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using deductive content analysis. Data were organised using a categorisation matrix developed by the research team. Coding and theme generation was iterative and refined throughout. Data were entered into and coded within N-Vivo. Setting Parents were recruited through 57 primary schools located in Bristol and the surrounding area that took part in the B-ProAct1v study. Participants Fifty-three parents of children aged 5–6 years. Results Parents believe that their child's screen viewing and physical activity behaviours are influenced by their child's siblings and friends. Friends are considered to have a greater influence over the structured physical activities a child asks to participate in, whereas the influence of siblings is more strongly perceived over informal and spontaneous physical activities. In terms of screen viewing, parents suggest that their child's friends can heavily influence the content their child wishes to consume, however, siblings have a more direct and tangible influence over what a child watches. Conclusions Friends and siblings influence young children's physical activity and screen viewing behaviours. Child-focused physical activity and screen viewing interventions should consider the important influence that siblings and friends have over these behaviours. PMID:25976759

Cancer Prevention and Screening Practices of Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

PubMed Central

Buchbinder, David; Mertens, Ann C.; Zeltzer, Lonnie K.; Leisenring, Wendy; Goodman, Pam; Lown, E. Anne; Alderfer, Melissa A.; Recklitis, Christopher; Oeffinger, Kevin; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Hudson, Melissa; Robison, Leslie L.; Casillas, Jacqueline

2012-01-01

Objective To compare the skin and breast/cervical cancer prevention/screening practices of adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors with controls and to identify modifying factors for these practices. Methods Cross-sectional, self-report data from 2,588 adult siblings of 5+ year survivors of childhood cancer were analyzed to assess cancer prevention/screening practices. Two age, sex and race/ethnicity-matched samples (n=5,915 and n=37,789) of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System participants served as the comparison populations. Sociodemographic and cancer-related data were explored as modifying factors for sibling cancer prevention/screening practices through multivariable logistic regression. Results Compared to controls, siblings were more likely to practice skin cancer prevention behaviors: use of protective clothing (OR 2.85, 95% 2.39-3.39), use of shade (OR 2. 11, 95% 1.88-2.36), use of sunscreen (OR 1.27, 95% 1.14-1.40), and wearing a hat (OR 1.77, 95% 1.58-1.98). No differences were noted for breast/cervical cancer screening including mammography and Pap testing. Having less than a high school education and lack of health insurance were associated with diminished cancer prevention/screening behaviors. Survivor diagnosis, treatment intensity, adverse health, chronic health conditions, and second cancers were not associated with sibling cancer prevention/screening behaviors. Conclusions Siblings of cancer survivors report greater skin cancer prevention practices when compared with controls; however, no differences were noted for breast/cervical cancer screening practices. Access to care and lack of education may be associated with decreased cancer prevention/screening behaviors. Interventions are needed to address these barriers. Impact Research should be directed at understanding the impact of the cancer experience on sibling health behaviors. PMID:22576363

The educational gradient in cardiovascular risk factors: impact of shared family factors in 228,346 Norwegian siblings.

PubMed

Ariansen, Inger; Mortensen, Laust Hvas; Graff-Iversen, Sidsel; Stigum, Hein; Kjøllesdal, Marte Karoline Råberg; Næss, Øyvind

2017-03-30

Various indicators of childhood socioeconomic position have been related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in adulthood. We investigated the impact of shared family factors on the educational gradient in midlife CVD risk factors by assessing within sibling similarities in the gradient using a discordant sibling design. Norwegian health survey data (1980-2003) was linked to educational and generational data. Participants with a full sibling in the health surveys (228,346 individuals in 98,046 sibships) were included. Associations between attained educational level (7-9 years, 10-11 years, 12 years, 13-16 years, or >16 years) and CVD risk factor levels in the study population was compared with the corresponding associations within siblings. Educational gradients in risk factors were attenuated when factors shared by siblings was taken into account: A one category lower educational level was associated with 0.7 (95% confidence interval 0.6 to 0.8) mm Hg higher systolic blood pressure (27% attenuation), 0.4 (0.4 to 0.5) mmHg higher diastolic blood pressure (30%), 1.0 (1.0 to 1.1) more beats per minute higher heart rate (21%), 0.07 (0.06 to 0.07) mmol/l higher serum total cholesterol (32%), 0.2 (0.2 to 0.2) higher smoking level (5 categories) (30%), 0.15 (0.13 to 0.17) kg/m 2 higher BMI (43%), and 0.2 (0.2 to 0.2) cm lower height (52%). Attenuation increased with shorter age-difference between siblings. About one third of the educational gradients in modifiable CVD risk factors may be explained by factors that siblings share. This implies that childhood environment is important for the prevention of CVD.

MR imaging findings in the reticular formation in siblings with MPV17-related mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

PubMed

Merkle, A N; Nascene, D R; McKinney, A M

2012-03-01

Hepatocerebral MPV17-MDS is quite rare (<30 confirmed cases), with limited findings described on MR imaging. We report 2 siblings having abnormalities within the reticular formation of the lower brain stem and within the reticulospinal tracts at the cervicocranial junction on T2WI. The presence of these MR imaging findings (relative to previous reports) raises the possibility that they represent subtle but characteristic findings corresponding to clinically observed abnormalities of tone encountered with this recently described disorder.

Tobacco Use Among Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

PubMed Central

Buchbinder, David; Oeffinger, Kevin; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Yasui, Yutaka; Alderfer, Melissa A.; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Casillas, Jacqueline; Ford, Jennifer; Krull, Kevin R.; Leisenring, Wendy; Recklitis, Christopher; Robison, Leslie L.; Zeltzer, Lonnie K.; Lown, E. Anne

2015-01-01

Background Having a brother or sister with childhood cancer may influence health behaviors during adulthood. The aim of this study was to compare tobacco use in siblings of survivors with peers and to identify factors associated with sibling tobacco use. Procedures A retrospective cohort study was conducted using adult siblings (N=1,974) of 5+ year cancer survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) and participants (N=24,105, weighted to match CCSS) in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Self-reported tobacco use, sociodemographic, and cancer-related risk factors were analyzed. Results Siblings were equally likely to have ever smoked compared to their peers, (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.93–1.12). Siblings were less likely to be current smokers (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.94), but more likely to be former smokers (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08–1.35). Siblings with low education were more likely to ever smoke (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.15–2.00) and be current smokers (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.24–2.26) compared to their peers. Among siblings, risk factors for current tobacco use included: low income <$20,000 (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.09–2.54), low education (OR 6.68, 95% CI 4.07–10.97), psychological distress (OR 5.36, 95% CI 2.21–13.02), and heavy alcohol use (OR 3.68, 95% CI 2.50–5.41). Conclusions Siblings of survivors take up smoking at similar rates to their peers, but are more likely to quit. Efforts are needed to address disparities by providing greater psychosocial support and education for the lowest socio-economic status families facing childhood cancer. PMID:26305712

Insulin-like growth factor type-1 receptor down-regulation associated with dwarfism in Holstein calves.

PubMed

Blum, J W; Elsasser, T H; Greger, D L; Wittenberg, S; de Vries, F; Distl, O

2007-10-01

Perturbations in endocrine functions can impact normal growth. Endocrine traits were studied in three dwarf calves exhibiting retarded but proportionate growth and four phenotypically normal half-siblings, sired by the same bull, and four unrelated control calves. Plasma 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations in dwarfs and half-siblings were in the physiological range and responded normally to injected thyroid-releasing hormone. Plasma glucagon concentrations were different (dwarfs, controls>half-siblings; P<0.05). Plasma growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin concentrations in the three groups during an 8-h period were similar, but integrated GH concentrations (areas under concentration curves) were different (dwarfs>controls, P<0.02; half-siblings>controls, P=0.08). Responses of GH to xylazine and to a GH-releasing-factor analogue were similar in dwarfs and half-siblings. Relative gene expression of IGF-1, IGF-2, GH receptor (GHR), insulin receptor, IGF-1 type-1 and -2 receptors (IGF-1R, IGF-2R), and IGF binding proteins were measured in liver and anconeus muscle. GHR mRNA levels were different in liver (dwarfs

Having older siblings is associated with gut microbiota development during early childhood.

PubMed

Laursen, Martin Frederik; Zachariassen, Gitte; Bahl, Martin Iain; Bergström, Anders; Høst, Arne; Michaelsen, Kim F; Licht, Tine Rask

2015-08-01

Evidence suggests that early life infections, presence of older siblings and furred pets in the household affect the risk of developing allergic diseases through altered microbial exposure. Recently, low gut microbial diversity during infancy has also been linked with later development of allergies. We investigated whether presence of older siblings, furred pets and early life infections affected gut microbial communities at 9 and 18 months of age and whether these differences were associated with the cumulative prevalence of atopic symptoms of eczema and asthmatic bronchitis at 3 years of age. Bacterial compositions and diversity indices were determined in fecal samples collected from 114 infants in the SKOT I cohort at age 9 and 18 months by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These were compared to the presence of older siblings, furred pets and early life infections and the cumulative prevalence of diagnosed asthmatic bronchitis and self-reported eczema at 3 years of age. The number of older siblings correlated positively with bacterial diversity (p = 0.030), diversity of the phyla Firmicutes (p = 0.013) and Bacteroidetes (p = 0.004) and bacterial richness (p = 0.006) at 18 months. Further, having older siblings was associated with increased relative abundance of several bacterial taxa at both 9 and 18 months of age. Compared to the effect of having siblings, presence of household furred pets and early life infections had less pronounced effects on the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota characteristics were not significantly associated with cumulative occurrence of eczema and asthmatic bronchitis during the first 3 years of life. Presence of older siblings is associated with increased gut microbial diversity and richness during early childhood, which could contribute to the substantiation of the hygiene hypothesis. However, no associations were found between gut microbiota and atopic symptoms of eczema and asthmatic bronchitis during early childhood and thus further studies are required to elucidate whether sibling-associated gut microbial changes influence development of allergies later in childhood.

Similarities and bi-directional influences regarding alcohol consumption in adolescent sibling pairs.

PubMed

Van Der Vorst, Haske; Engels, Rutger C M E; Meeus, Wim; Deković, Maja; Van Leeuwe, Jan

2007-09-01

Ample studies have established that parents as well as peers function as role models in the development of adolescents' alcohol use. The role of siblings, however, has been largely neglected despite the long-term nature of a sibling relationship. The present study examined the impact of siblings on drinking behavior of adolescents using longitudinal data from 416 sibling dyads. Moreover, we explored which factors (gender constellation of the sibling dyad, quality of the sibling relationship, and similarity in norms about alcohol) affect reciprocal influences in alcohol use of siblings. Descriptive analyses showed that although older siblings drink more frequently and intensively than the younger siblings, moderate associations were found between frequency and intensity of drinking in siblings. Findings of structural equation modeling demonstrated that alcohol use of the older sibling marginally affected drinking of the younger sibling one year later. Drinking of the younger sibling did not affect drinking of the older sibling. Further, we found no moderating effects of having the same or opposite gender as a sibling, a low or high quality relationship, and the same or different norms about alcohol, on the association between siblings' alcohol use and adolescents' drinking over time.

Sex of rearing seems to exert a powerful influence on gender identity in the absence of strong hormonal influence: report of two siblings with PAIS assigned different sex of rearing.

PubMed

Joseph, Angela Ann; Kulshreshtha, Bindu; Mehta, Manju; Ammini, Ariachery C

2011-01-01

There is an ongoing debate regarding the relative contribution of nurture over nature in development of gender identity. Patients with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) have ambiguous genitalia and are known to be reared as male or female. Familial cases of PAIS sharing common hormonal defects are usually reared in the same sex. Here, we describe two siblings with PAIS, one reared as a male and the other as female. These two siblings presented at adolescence. Gender identity was concordant with the sex of rearing for both. The male sibling was distressed with gynecomastia that had disrupted his social life. The sex of rearing seems to have played a predominant role in the formation of gender identity in these two patients with PAIS.

Sibling dilution hypothesis: a regression surface analysis.

PubMed

Marjoribanks, K

2001-08-01

This study examined relationships between sibship size (the number of children in a family), birth order, and measures of academic performance, academic self-concept, and educational aspirations at different levels of family educational resources. As part of a national longitudinal study of Australian secondary school students data were collected from 2,530 boys and 2,450 girls in Years 9 and 10. Regression surfaces were constructed from models that included terms to account for linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations among the variables. Analysis suggests the general propositions (a) family educational resources have significant associations with children's school-related outcomes at different levels of sibling variables, the relationships for girls being curvilinear, and (b) sibling variables continue to have small significant associations with affective and cognitive outcomes, after taking into account variations in family educational resources. That is, the investigation provides only partial support for the sibling dilution hypothesis.

[Sibling relations from the family therapy perspective--support, attachment, rivalry and envy].

PubMed

Cierpka, M

2001-01-01

In family therapy, during the last years more and more importance is attached to the dynamics of the sibling subsystem. In the present paper differences between them as well as similarities are discussed from the point of view of family theory. Relevant dimensions like support, attachment, rivalry and envy between brothers and sisters contribute essentially to the family dynamics. In this clinically orientated paper, we describe by means of a case example how the couple's conflicts after their separation is unconsciously repeated in the sibling subsystem. It is shown how the intergenerational dynamics can be interrupted by the initiative of the children and the initiated family therapy.

Sibling popularity: A moderator of sibling influence for adolescent substance use.

PubMed

Wallace, Lacey N

Sibling substance use is a known correlate of adolescent substance use. Yet, not all siblings are equally influential. Sibling influence has been found to vary by age gap, sex, and birth order. Little research, however, has investigated whether siblings' peer context is also a source of variation. The present study tested whether more popular siblings were more influential for adolescent use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Data were obtained from sibling pairs in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Findings indicate that older siblings have more influence on younger sibling marijuana use when they have more friends. These findings contribute to prior work examining which siblings are more influential and highlight the need to consider siblings as part of a greater peer context.

Facial emotion perception in Chinese patients with schizophrenia and non-psychotic first-degree relatives.

PubMed

Li, Huijie; Chan, Raymond C K; Zhao, Qing; Hong, Xiaohong; Gong, Qi-Yong

2010-03-17

Although there is a consensus that patients with schizophrenia have certain deficits in perceiving and expressing facial emotions, previous studies of facial emotion perception in schizophrenia do not present consistent results. The objective of this study was to explore facial emotion perception deficits in Chinese patients with schizophrenia and their non-psychotic first-degree relatives. Sixty-nine patients with schizophrenia, 56 of their first-degree relatives (33 parents and 23 siblings), and 92 healthy controls (67 younger healthy controls matched to the patients and siblings, and 25 older healthy controls matched to the parents) completed a set of facial emotion perception tasks, including facial emotion discrimination, identification, intensity, valence, and corresponding face identification tasks. The results demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse than their siblings and younger healthy controls in accuracy in a variety of facial emotion perception tasks, whereas the siblings of the patients performed as well as the corresponding younger healthy controls in all of the facial emotion perception tasks. Patients with schizophrenia also showed significantly reduced speed than younger healthy controls, while siblings of patients did not demonstrate significant differences with both patients and younger healthy controls in speed. Meanwhile, we also found that parents of the schizophrenia patients performed significantly worse than the corresponding older healthy controls in accuracy in terms of facial emotion identification, valence, and the composite index of the facial discrimination, identification, intensity and valence tasks. Moreover, no significant differences were found between the parents of patients and older healthy controls in speed after controlling the years of education and IQ. Taken together, the results suggest that facial emotion perception deficits may serve as potential endophenotypes for schizophrenia. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Placement History and Current Family Environment in Children’s Aggression in Foster Care

PubMed Central

Perry, Kristin J.; Price, Joseph

2017-01-01

Predictors of the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care were examined (N = 160, 50.9% male, M age = 7.57, SD = 2.39). First, predictors representative of children’s placement histories were examined in relation to the children’s aggression at T1. Next, predictors representing characteristics of the current family environment were examined in relation to the children’s aggression at T2 (four months later). Results revealed that a greater number of prior group home placements and being in a non-kinship home were associated with higher physical aggression at T1. A greater number of prior group home placements, a fewer number of regular home placements, being in a non-kinship home, and prior removal from the home due to neglect were associated with higher relational aggression at T1. The results also revealed that higher foster sibling relational aggression at T1 predicted lower child physical aggression at T2. If foster siblings were biological children of the foster parent, higher levels of a foster sibling’s physical aggression at T1 predicted reduced child physical aggression at T2. The opposite pattern was observed if foster siblings were not biological children of the foster parent. Lastly, longer time in the current placement, more children in the home, and the presence of a sibling that was a biological child of the parent predicted higher child relational aggression at T2. These findings provide initial insights into how placement history and current family environment are associated with the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care. PMID:29551877

What Do Repetitive and Stereotyped Movements Mean for Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damiano, Cara R.; Nahmias, Allison; Hogan-Brown, Abigail L.; Stone, Wendy L.

2013-01-01

Repetitive and stereotyped movements (RSMs) in infancy are associated with later diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet this relationship has not been fully explored in high-risk populations. The current study investigated how RSMs involving object and body use are related to diagnostic outcomes in infant siblings of children with ASD…

Affective Qualities of Sibling Disputes, Mothers' Conflict Attitudes, and Children's Theory of Mind Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randell, Angela C.; Peterson, Candida C.

2009-01-01

Preschoolers' theory of mind (ToM) was examined in relation to emotional features of their conflicts with siblings, using mothers as privileged informants. Fifty-four children aged 3 to 5 years and their 54 mothers took part. Children were given 10 standard false belief tasks and a standardized language test. Mothers completed questionnaires,…

Children's Daily Well-Being: The Role of Mothers', Teachers', and Siblings' Autonomy Support and Psychological Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Kaap-Deeder, Jolene; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Soenens, Bart; Mabbe, Elien

2017-01-01

This study examined the unique relations between multiple sources (i.e., mothers, teachers, and siblings) of perceived daily autonomy support and psychological control and children's basic psychological needs and well-being. During 5 consecutive days, 2 children from 154 families (M[subscript age] youngest child = 8.54 years; SD = 0.89 and…

Fine Motor Skill Predicts Expressive Language in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBarton, Eve Sauer; Iverson, Jana M.

2013-01-01

We investigated whether fine motor and expressive language skills are related in the later-born siblings of children with autism (heightened-risk, HR infants) who are at increased risk for language delays. We observed 34 HR infants longitudinally from 12 to 36 months. We used parent report and standardized observation measures to assess fine motor…

Responses to Children's Media Use in Families with and without Siblings: A Family Development Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, John J.; Gentile, Douglas A.

2012-01-01

Drawing on family development theory, this study provides insight into how family stages with and without siblings are related to media habits and effects. Two national samples (N = 527 and N = 1,257) present a cross-sectional snapshot of media uses in families across three stages of family life: families with preschoolers (2-6 years), with…

Between Mexico and New York City: Mexican Maternal Migration's Influences on Separated Siblings' Social and Educational Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira, Gabrielle

2017-01-01

There are negative consequences for children and youth when a primary caregiver leaves to migrate. However there are unforeseen experiences related to schooling. I compare how Mexican maternal migration has influenced the education experiences of the children left behind in Mexico and their siblings living in the United States. These microcontexts…

A multisite evaluation of summer camps for children with cancer and their siblings.

PubMed

Wu, Yelena P; McPhail, Jessica; Mooney, Ryan; Martiniuk, Alexandra; Amylon, Michael D

2016-01-01

Summer camps for pediatric cancer patients and their families are ubiquitous. However, there is relatively little research, particularly studies including more than one camp, documenting outcomes associated with children's participation in summer camp. The current cross-sectional study used a standardized measure to examine the role of demographic, illness, and camp factors in predicting children's oncology camp-related outcomes. In total, 2,114 children at 19 camps participated. Campers were asked to complete the pediatric camp outcome measure, which assesses camp-specific self-esteem, emotional, physical, and social functioning. Campers reported high levels of emotional, physical, social, and self-esteem functioning. There were differences in functioning based on demographic and illness characteristics, including gender, whether campers/siblings were on or off active cancer treatment, age, and number of prior years attending camp. Results indicated that summer camps can be beneficial for pediatric oncology patients and their siblings, regardless of demographic factors (e.g., gender, treatment status) and camp factors (e.g., whether camp sessions included patients only, siblings only, or both). Future work could advance the oncology summer camp literature by examining other outcomes linked to summer camp attendance, using longitudinal designs, and including comparison groups.

Perceptions of nonshared childhood environment in bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Wonderlich, S; Ukestad, L; Perzacki, R

1994-06-01

The aim of this research was to identify perceptions of nonshared childhood environmental factors associated with bulimia nervosa and the comorbid personality traits associated with this disorder. Twenty-nine individuals with bulimia nervosa and 27 normal controls compared themselves to a sibling on a measure specifically designed to assess perceptions of nonshared environmental factors in parental, peer, and sibling relationships. Also, bulimic individuals' primary clinicians completed a series of ratings for each of the DSM-III personality disorders. Bulimic individuals were more likely than controls to rate their fathers as showing less affection and more control toward them than toward their sibling. Among bulimic individuals, borderline personality disorder ratings were associated with the perception that both mother and father showed less affection toward the bulimic individual than toward her sibling. Avoidant and depressive personality ratings were associated with perceptions of unique experiences with peers. These data provide preliminary evidence suggesting that the paternal relationship may be a source of nonshared environmental experience associated with bulimia nervosa. Borderline personality disorder among bulimics appears related to more pervasive within-family experiences across both the maternal and paternal relationship, while depressive and avoidant personality seems related to unique peer experiences.

Child, parent and family factors as predictors of adjustment for siblings of children with a disability.

PubMed

Giallo, R; Gavidia-Payne, S

2006-12-01

Siblings adjust to having a brother or sister with a disability in diverse ways. This study investigated a range of child, parent and family factors as predictors of sibling adjustment outcomes. Forty-nine siblings (aged 7-16 years) and parents provided information about (1) sibling daily hassles and uplifts; (2) sibling coping; (3) parent stress; (4) parenting; and (5) family resilience. Multiple regression techniques were used. It was found that parent and family factors were stronger predictors of sibling adjustment difficulties than siblings' own experiences of stress and coping. Specifically, socio-economic status, past attendance at a sibling support group, parent stress, family time and routines, family problem-solving and communication, and family hardiness-predicted sibling adjustment difficulties. Finally, siblings' perceived intensity of daily uplifts significantly predicted sibling prosocial behaviour. The results revealed that the family level of risk and resilience factors were better predictors of sibling adjustment than siblings' own experiences of stress and coping resources, highlighting the importance of familial and parental contributions to the sibling adjustment process. The implications of these results for the design of interventions and supports for siblings are discussed.

Longitudinal associations among parental acceptance, familism values, and sibling intimacy in Mexican-origin families.

PubMed

Killoren, Sarah E; Wheeler, Lorey A; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Rodríguez de Jésus, Sue A; McHale, Susan M

2015-06-01

Prospective associations among parent-adolescent acceptance and familism values in early and middle adolescence and sibling intimacy in late adolescence and young adulthood were assessed in 246 Mexican-origin families. Older sibling gender and sibling gender constellation were investigated as moderators of these associations. Sibling intimacy was stable over time and younger siblings with older sisters reported higher levels of sibling intimacy than those with older brothers. As predicted, stronger familism values were associated with greater sibling intimacy, but this link was evident only for older sisters and for girl-girl dyads. The links from mother- and father-acceptance to sibling intimacy also depended on the gender constellation of the sibling dyad: Higher levels of maternal warmth were associated with greater sibling intimacy for older sisters and girl-girl sibling pairs but higher levels of paternal warmth were linked to greater sibling intimacy only for older siblings in mixed-gender sibling dyads. Findings are consistent with prior research on the role of gender in family relationships but extend this work to encompass the effects of both parents' and siblings' gender, as well as the role of sociocultural values in parents' socialization influences. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Sibling relationship quality and Mexican-origin adolescents' and young adults' familism values and adjustment

PubMed Central

Killoren, Sarah E.; De Jesús, Sue A. Rodríguez; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Wheeler, Lorey A.

2015-01-01

We examined profiles of sibling relationship qualities in 246 Mexican-origin families living in the United States using latent profile analyses. Three profiles were identified: Positive, Negative and Affect-Intense. Links between profiles and youths’ familism values and adjustment were assessed using longitudinal data. Siblings in the Positive profile reported the highest familism values, followed by siblings in the Affect-Intense profile and, finally, siblings in the Negative profile. Older siblings in the Positive and Affect-Intense profiles reported fewer depressive symptoms than siblings in the Negative profile. Further, in the Positive and Negative profiles, older siblings reported less involvement in risky behaviors than younger siblings. In the Negative profile, younger siblings reported greater sexual risk behaviors in late adolescence than older siblings; siblings in opposite-sex dyads, as compared to same-sex dyads, engaged in riskier sexual behaviors. Our findings highlight sibling relationship quality as promotive and risky, depending on sibling characteristics and adjustment outcomes. PMID:28239217

Sibling relationship quality and Mexican-origin adolescents' and young adults' familism values and adjustment.

PubMed

Killoren, Sarah E; De Jesús, Sue A Rodríguez; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Wheeler, Lorey A

2017-03-01

We examined profiles of sibling relationship qualities in 246 Mexican-origin families living in the United States using latent profile analyses. Three profiles were identified: Positive , Negative and Affect-Intense . Links between profiles and youths' familism values and adjustment were assessed using longitudinal data. Siblings in the Positive profile reported the highest familism values, followed by siblings in the Affect-Intense profile and, finally, siblings in the Negative profile. Older siblings in the Positive and Affect-Intense profiles reported fewer depressive symptoms than siblings in the Negative profile. Further, in the Positive and Negative profiles, older siblings reported less involvement in risky behaviors than younger siblings. In the Negative profile, younger siblings reported greater sexual risk behaviors in late adolescence than older siblings; siblings in opposite-sex dyads, as compared to same-sex dyads, engaged in riskier sexual behaviors. Our findings highlight sibling relationship quality as promotive and risky, depending on sibling characteristics and adjustment outcomes.

The Role of Intrinsic Brain Functional Connectivity in Vulnerability and Resilience to Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Doucet, Gaelle E; Bassett, Danielle S; Yao, Nailin; Glahn, David C; Frangou, Sophia

2017-12-01

Bipolar disorder is a heritable disorder characterized by mood dysregulation associated with brain functional dysconnectivity. Previous research has focused on the detection of risk- and disease-associated dysconnectivity in individuals with bipolar disorder and their first-degree relatives. The present study seeks to identify adaptive brain connectivity features associated with resilience, defined here as avoidance of illness or delayed illness onset in unaffected siblings of patients with bipolar disorder. Graph theoretical methods were used to examine global and regional brain network topology in head-motion-corrected resting-state functional MRI data acquired from 78 patients with bipolar disorder, 64 unaffected siblings, and 41 healthy volunteers. Global network properties were preserved in patients and their siblings while both groups showed reductions in the cohesiveness of the sensorimotor network. In the patient group, these sensorimotor network abnormalities were coupled with reduced integration of core default mode network regions in the ventromedial cortex and hippocampus. Conversely, integration of the default mode network was increased in the sibling group compared with both the patient group and the healthy volunteer group. The authors found that trait-related vulnerability to bipolar disorder was associated with reduced resting-state cohesiveness of the sensorimotor network in patients with bipolar disorder. However, integration of the default mode network emerged as a key feature differentiating disease expression and resilience between the patients and their siblings. This is indicative of the presence of neural mechanisms that may promote resilience, or at least delay illness onset.

Birth order and hospitalization for alcohol and narcotics use in Sweden.

PubMed

Barclay, Kieron; Myrskylä, Mikko; Tynelius, Per; Berglind, Daniel; Rasmussen, Finn

2016-10-01

Previous studies have shown that birth order is an important predictor of later life health as well as socioeconomic attainment. In this study, we examine the relationship between birth order and hospitalization for alcohol and narcotics use in Sweden. We study the relationship between birth order and hospitalization related to alcohol and narcotics use before and after the age of 20 using Swedish register data for cohorts born 1987-1994. We apply Cox proportional hazard models and use sibling fixed effects, eliminating confounding by factors shared by the siblings. Before age 20 we find that later born siblings are hospitalized for alcohol use at a higher rate than first-borns, and there is a monotonic increase in the hazard of hospitalization with increasing birth order. Second-borns are hospitalized at a rate 47% higher than first-borns, and third-borns at a rate 65% higher. Similar patterns are observed for hospitalization for narcotics use. After age 20 the pattern is similar, but the association is weaker. These patterns are consistent across various sibling group sizes. Later born siblings are more likely to be hospitalized for both alcohol and narcotics use in Sweden. These birth order effects are substantial in size, and larger than the estimated sex differences for the risk of hospitalization related to alcohol and drug use before age 20, and previous estimates for socioeconomic status differences in alcohol and drug abuse. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mexican-Origin Parents’ Differential Treatment and Siblings’ Adjustment from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.

2016-01-01

Parents’ differential treatment is a common family dynamic that has been linked to youth’s well-being in childhood and adolescence in European American families. Much less is known, however, about this family process in other ethnic groups. We examined the longitudinal associations between parents’ differential treatment (PDT) and both depressive symptoms and risky behaviors of Mexican-origin sibling pairs from early adolescence through young adulthood. We also tested the moderating roles of cultural orientations as well as youth age, gender and sibling dyad gender constellation in these associations. Participants were mothers, fathers, and two siblings from 246 Mexican-origin families who participated in individual home interviews on 3 occasions over 8 years. Multilevel models revealed that, controlling for dyadic parent-child relationship qualities (i.e., absolute levels of warmth and conflict), adolescents who had less favorable treatment by mothers relative to their sibling reported more depressive symptoms and risky behavior, on average. Findings for fathers’ PDT emerged at the within-person level indicating that, on occasions when adolescents experienced less favorable treatment by fathers than usual, they reported more depressive symptoms and risky behavior. However, some of these effects were moderated by youth age and cultural socialization. For example, adolescents who experienced relatively less paternal warmth than their siblings also reported poorer adjustment, but this effect did not emerge for young adults; such an effect also was significant for unfavored youth with stronger but not weaker cultural orientations. PMID:27504752

Grey matter, an endophenotype for schizophrenia? A voxel-based morphometry study in siblings of patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

van der Velde, Jorien; Gromann, Paula M.; Swart, Marte; de Haan, Lieuwe; Wiersma, Durk; Bruggeman, Richard; Krabbendam, Lydia; Aleman, André

2015-01-01

Background Grey matter, both volume and concentration, has been proposed as an endophenotype for schizophrenia given a number of reports of grey matter abnormalities in relatives of patients with schizophrenia. However, previous studies on grey matter abnormalities in relatives have produced inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to examine grey matter differences between controls and siblings of patients with schizophrenia and to examine whether the age, genetic loading or subclinical psychotic symptoms of selected individuals could explain the previously reported inconsistencies. Methods We compared the grey matter volume and grey matter concentration of healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls matched for age, sex and education using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Furthermore, we selected subsamples based on age (< 30 yr), genetic loading and subclinical psychotic symptoms to examine whether this would lead to different results. Results We included 89 siblings and 69 controls in our study. The results showed that siblings and controls did not differ significantly on grey matter volume or concentration. Furthermore, specifically selecting participants based on age, genetic loading or subclinical psychotic symptoms did not alter these findings. Limitations The main limitation was that subdividing the sample resulted in smaller samples for the subanalyses. Furthermore, we used MRI data from 2 different scanner sites. Conclusion These results indicate that grey matter measured through VBM might not be a suitable endophenotype for schizophrenia. PMID:25768029

Aggression Can be Contagious: Longitudinal Associations between Proactive Aggression and Reactive Aggression Among Young Twins

PubMed Central

Dickson, Daniel J.; Richmond, Ashley; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Laursen, Brett; Dionne, Ginette; Boivin, Michel

2015-01-01

The present study examined sibling influence over reactive and proactive aggression in a sample of 452 same-sex twins (113 male dyads, 113 female dyads). Between and within siblings influence processes were examined as a function of relative levels of parental coercion and hostility to test the hypothesis that aggression contagion between twins occurs only among dyads who experience parental coerciveness. Teacher reports of reactive and proactive aggression were collected for each twin in kindergarten (M = 6.04 years; SD = 0.27) and in first grade (M = 7.08 years; SD = 0.27). Families were divided into relatively low, average, and relatively high parental coercion-hostility groups on the basis of maternal reports collected when the children were 5 years old. In families with relatively high levels of parental coercion-hostility, there was evidence of between-sibling influence, such that one twin’s reactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the other twin’s reactive aggression from ages 6 to 7, and one twin’s proactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the other twin’s proactive aggression from ages 6 to 7. There was also evidence of within-sibling influence such that a child’s level of reactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the same child’s proactive aggression at age 7, regardless of parental coercion-hostility. The findings provide new information about the etiology of reactive and proactive aggression and individual differences in their developmental interplay. PMID:25683448

Low tobacco-related cancer incidence in offspring of long-lived siblings: a comparison with Danish national cancer registry data.

PubMed

Pedersen, Jacob K; Skytthe, Axel; McGue, Matt; Honig, Lawrence S; Franceschi, Claudio; Kirkwood, Thomas B L; Passarino, Giuseppe; Slagboom, P Eline; Vaupel, James W; Christensen, Kaare

2015-08-01

Familial clustering of longevity is well documented and includes both genetic and other familial factors, but the specific underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We examined whether low incidence of specific cancers is a mechanism for familial clustering of longevity. The study population of individuals from longevity-enriched families consisted of 3267 offspring from 610 Danish long-lived families defined by two siblings attaining an age of 90 years or more. The offspring of the long-lived siblings were followed from 1968 to 2009. Using high-quality registry data, observed numbers of cancers were compared with expected numbers based on gender-, calendar period-, and age-specific incidence rates in the general population. During the 41-year-follow-up period, a total of 423 cancers occurred in 397 individuals. The standardized incidence ratios (95% confidence interval) for offspring of long-lived individuals were 0.78 (0.70-0.86) for overall cancer; 0.66 (0.56-0.77) for tobacco-related cancer; 0.34 (0.22-0.51) for lung cancer; 0.88 (0.71-1.10) for breast cancer; 0.91 (0.62-1.34) for colon cancer. The low incidence of tobacco-related cancers in long-lived families compared with non-tobacco-related cancers suggests that health behavior plays a central role in lower early cancer incidence in offspring of long-lived siblings in Denmark. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aggression can be contagious: Longitudinal associations between proactive aggression and reactive aggression among young twins.

PubMed

Dickson, Daniel J; Richmond, Ashley D; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Laursen, Brett; Dionne, Ginette; Boivin, Michel

2015-01-01

The present study examined sibling influence over reactive and proactive aggression in a sample of 452 same-sex twins (113 male dyads, 113 female dyads). Between and within siblings influence processes were examined as a function of relative levels of parental coercion and hostility to test the hypothesis that aggression contagion between twins occurs only among dyads who experience parental coerciveness. Teacher reports of reactive and proactive aggression were collected for each twin in kindergarten (M = 6.04 years; SD = 0.27) and in first grade (M = 7.08 years; SD = 0.27). Families were divided into relatively low, average, and relatively high parental coercion-hostility groups on the basis of maternal reports collected when the children were 5 years old. In families with relatively high levels of parental coercion-hostility, there was evidence of between-sibling influence, such that one twin's reactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the other twin's reactive aggression from ages 6 to 7, and one twin's proactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the other twin's proactive aggression from ages 6 to 7. There was also evidence of within-sibling influence such that a child's level of reactive aggression at age 6 predicted increases in the same child's proactive aggression at age 7, regardless of parental coercion-hostility. The findings provide new information about the etiology of reactive and proactive aggression and individual differences in their developmental interplay. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Establishing the role of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis with human leucocyte antigen typing: what place do "saviour siblings" have in paediatric transplantation?

PubMed

Samuel, G N; Strong, K A; Kerridge, I; Jordens, C F C; Ankeny, R A; Shaw, P J

2009-04-01

Not all children in need of a haematopoietic stem cell transplant have a suitable relative or unrelated donor available. Recently, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for human leucocyte antigen (HLA) tissue typing has been used to selectively transfer an IVF embryo in order to produce a child who may provide umbilical cord blood for transplantation to an ill sibling. Such children are sometimes called "saviour siblings". To examine the published clinical and epidemiological evidence relevant to the use of this technology, with the aim of clarifying those situations where IVF and PGD for HLA typing should be discussed with parents of an ill child. A critical analysis of published literature on comparative studies of umbilical cord blood versus other sources of stem cells for transplantation; comparative studies of matched unrelated donor versus matched related donor transplantation; and the likelihood of finding an unrelated stem cell donor. IVF and PGD for HLA typing is only applicable when transplantation is non-urgent and parents are of reproductive age. Discussions regarding this technology may be appropriate where no suitable related or unrelated donor is available for a child requiring a transplant, or where no suitable related donor is available and transplantation is only likely to be entertained with a matched sibling donor. Discussion may also be considered in the management of any child lacking a matched related donor who requires a non-urgent transplant or may require a transplant in the future.

Older Siblings Influence Younger Siblings' Motor Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Sarah E.; Nuzzo, Katie

2008-01-01

Evidence exists for two competing theories about the effects of having an older sibling on development. Previous research has found that having an older sibling has both advantages and disadvantages for younger siblings' development. This study examined whether and how older siblings influenced the onset of their own younger siblings' motor…

Vaccination of day-care center attendees reduces carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae among their younger siblings.

PubMed

Givon-Lavi, Noga; Fraser, Drora; Dagan, Ron

2003-06-01

We conducted a study to determine whether administration of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to toddlers attending day-care centers (DCCs) could prevent acquisition of Streptococcus pneumoniae of the vaccine serotypes (VT) by their younger siblings. In a double blind study, 262 DCC attendees ages 12 to 35 months were randomized to receive a 9-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PnCRM9; n = 132), or a control vaccine (meningococcus C vaccine; n = 130). It was planned to follow the groups for 2 years with monthly nasopharyngeal pneumococcal cultures during the first follow-up year and every 2 months during the second year. Forty-six younger siblings of the above described children, age <18 months (23 siblings of the PnCRM9 recipients and 23 of the controls), were also enrolled, and nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained monthly until the children reached the age of 18 months or started to attend DCC, if before the age of 18 months. Pneumococcal isolates were serotyped and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Of the 3748 cultures obtained from the DCC attendees, 2450 (65%) were positive for S. pneumoniae. Of 306 cultures obtained from the younger siblings, 151 (49%) were positive. Among the PnCRM9 recipients, cultures were significantly less frequently positive for the VT S. pneumoniae than among the controls (13% vs. 21%, respectively; P < 0.001). The same pattern was seen in the younger siblings of PnCRM9 recipients vs. the siblings of controls (21% vs. 34%, respectively; P = 0.017). The reverse trend was seen for non-VT strains in both the DCC attendees (44% vs. 34%, respectively; P < 0.001) and their younger siblings (19% vs. 13%, respectively; P = 0.15). There was a significant decrease in the carriage rate of antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae in both the PnCRM9 recipients and their younger siblings. The relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) to carry S. pneumoniae penicillin-nonsusceptible, resistant to > or =1, > or =2 and > or =3 antibiotic categories among younger siblings of PnCRM9 recipients vs. siblings of controls were 0.47 (0.31 to 0.70), 0.49 (0.33 to 0.71), 0.46 (0.30 to 0.73) and 0.49 (0.21 to 1.17), respectively. When acquired, VT and antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae were carried for a significantly shorter period of time among siblings of PnCRM9 recipients than in siblings of controls. The marked effect of PnCRM9 administration to DCC attendees on carriage of VT and antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae among their younger household close contacts demonstrates a herd effect of the vaccine.

Effect of number, order, and spacing of siblings on child and adult outcomes: an overview of current research.

PubMed

Heer, D M

1986-01-01

The impact of the number, order, and spacing of siblings on child and adult outcomes has been the topic of research by scholars in 4 separate fields (human biology, psychology, sociology, and economics), and the barriers to communication between academic disciplines are strong. Also most researchers have had to work with data sets gathered for other purposes. This has resulted in a relative inadequacy of research. Social scientists have 3 theories concerning the relationship between the number, order, and spacing of siblings and child and adult outcomes: that an increase in the number of siblings or a decrease in the spacing between them dilutes the time and material resources that parents can give to each child and that these resource dilutions hinder the outcome for each child; that account must be taken not only of parental resources but also of the resources given to each child by his/her siblings; and that there is no causal relationship between number, order and spacing of siblings and child outcomes and that any apparent relationships are spurious. In light of these theories, the question arises as to how should the sibling variables be measured. The most important aspect of sibling number is that it is a variable over time. Yet, the proper measurement of sibling number has an additional complication. According to all existing theories, the ages of the other siblings are relevant for the outcome for the given child. All of the relevant information is now available only when it is possible to construct a matrix in which the rows present the age of the given child and the columns the age grouping of the siblings for whom a count of sibling number will be made. Many such matrices could be developed, some much more elaborate than others. For illustrative purposes, Table 1 presents the matrix of the number of siblings for a child who is the first-born among 5 children, all of whom are spaced exactly 3 years apart and all of whom are financially dependent only up to exact age 21. Table 2 presents the matrix for the last-born child among 5 children with characteristics identical to those in Table 1. It can be inferred from these tables that the oldest child in the family, as compared to the youngest child, probably will suffer from a diminution of parental resources, most likely financial resources, in adolescence. The youngest will suffer from a reduction of parental resources, probably time resources, in infancy and early childhood. Research concerned with the consequences of the number and spacing of children should be based on data sets for which some version of this matrix can be constructed.

Sibling eating behaviours and parental feeding practices with siblings: similar or different?

PubMed

Berge, Jerica M; Tate, Allan D; Trofholz, Amanda; Conger, Katherine; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2016-09-01

Little is known about whether siblings have similar or different eating behaviours or whether parents tailor their feeding practices to different siblings. The main objectives of the present study were to examine similarities and differences in child eating behaviours and parental feeding practices with siblings and to determine whether child eating behaviours and parental feeding practices differ depending on sibling concordant (i.e. both siblings overweight or healthy weight) or discordant (i.e. one sibling overweight and one sibling healthy weight) weight status. Cross-sectional, mixed-methods study. In-home visits were conducted by research staff. Surveys were conducted with parents and anthropometry was collected on parents and siblings. Children (n 88) aged 6-12 years (mean age 9 (sd 2) years), their parents (mean age 34 (sd 7) years) and near-age siblings (mean age 9 (sd 4) years) from diverse racial/ethnic and low-income households participated. Results indicated that siblings with higher BMI engaged in higher levels of emotional eating compared with siblings with lower BMI. Additionally, results indicated that when families had sibling dyads discordant on weight status, the sibling who was overweight had higher food enjoyment and lower levels of food satiety. Additionally, within siblings with discordant weight status, parents were more likely to use restrictive feeding practices with the overweight sibling and pressure-to-eat and encouragement-to-eat feeding practices with the healthy-weight sibling. Family-based childhood obesity interventions may need to assess for sibling weight status when researching the home environment and intervene with parents to avoid using restriction or pressure-to-eat feeding practices when siblings are discordant on weight status.

Sibling Eating Behaviors and Parental Feeding Practices with Siblings: Similar or Different?

PubMed Central

Berge, Jerica M.; Tate, Allan D.; Trofholz, Amanda; Conger, Katherine; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2018-01-01

Objective Little is known about whether siblings have similar or different eating behaviors or whether parents tailor their feeding practices to different siblings. The main objectives of this study were to examine similarities and differences in child eating behaviors and parental feeding practices with siblings and to examine whether child eating behaviors or parental feeding practices differ depending on sibling concordant (i.e., both siblings overweight or healthy weight) or discordant (i.e., one sibling overweight and one sibling healthy weight) weight status. Design Cross-sectional, mixed-methods study. Setting In-home visits were conducted by research staff. Surveys were conducted with parents and anthropometry was collected on parents and siblings. Subjects Children (n=88) ages 6–12 years (mean=9; sd=2), their parents (mean age=34; sd=7), and near-age siblings (mean age=9; sd=4) from diverse racial/ethnic and low-income households participated in the current study. Results Results indicated that siblings with higher body mass index engaged in higher levels of emotional eating compared to siblings with lower BMI. Additionally, results indicated that when families had sibling dyads who were discordant on weight status, the sibling who was overweight had higher food enjoyment and lower levels of food satiety. Additionally, within discordant weight status siblings, parents were more likely to use restrictive feeding practices with siblings who were overweight and pressure-to-eat and encouragement-to-eat feeding practices with siblings who were healthy weight. Conclusions Family-based childhood obesity interventions may need to assess for sibling weight status when researching the home environment and intervene with parents to avoid using restriction or pressure-to-eat feeding practices when siblings are discordant on weight status. PMID:27122059

Occupational outcomes of adult childhood cancer survivors: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

PubMed Central

Kirchhoff, Anne C.; Krull, Kevin R.; Ness, Kirsten K.; Park, Elyse R.; Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Stovall, Marilyn; Robison, Leslie L.; Wickizer, Thomas; Leisenring, Wendy

2010-01-01

Background We examined whether survivors from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were less likely to be in higher skill occupations than a sibling comparison and whether certain survivors were at higher risk. Methods We created three mutually-exclusive occupational categories for participants aged ≥25 years: Managerial/Professional and Non-Physical and Physical Service/Blue Collar. We examined currently employed survivors (N=4845) and siblings (N=1727) in multivariable generalized linear models to evaluate the likelihood of being in the three occupational categories. Among all participants, we used multinomial logistic regression to examine the likelihood of these outcomes in comparison to being unemployed (survivors N=6671; siblings N=2129). Multivariable linear models were used to assess survivor occupational differences by cancer and treatment variables. Personal income was compared by occupation. Results Employed survivors were less often in higher skilled Managerial/Professional occupations (Relative Risk=0.93, 95% Confidence Interval 0.89–0.98) than siblings. Survivors who were Black, were diagnosed at a younger age, or had high-dose cranial radiation were less likely to hold Professional occupations than other survivors. In multinomial models, female survivors’ likelihood of being in full-time Professional occupations (27%) was lower than male survivors (42%) and female (41%) and male (50%) siblings. Survivors’ personal income was lower than siblings within each of the three occupational categories in models adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Conclusions Adult childhood cancer survivors are employed in lower skill jobs than siblings. Survivors with certain treatment histories are at higher risk and may require vocational assistance throughout adulthood. PMID:21246530

Broader Autism Phenotype in Siblings of Children with ASD—A Review

PubMed Central

Pisula, Ewa; Ziegart-Sadowska, Karolina

2015-01-01

Although less pronounced, social, cognitive, and personality characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be present in people who do not meet ASD diagnostic criteria, especially in first-degree relatives of individuals with ASD. Research on these characteristics, referred to as broader autism phenotype (BAP), provides valuable data on potential expressions of autism-specific deficits in the context of family relations. This paper offers a review of research on BAP in siblings of individuals with ASD, focusing on reports regarding social, communication, and cognitive deficits, published from 1993 to 2014. The studies are divided into two groups based on participants’ age: papers on preschool and older siblings of individuals with ASD; and publications on infants at risk for ASD. On the basis of this review, suggestions are offered for further research and its significance for our understanding of the genetic determinants of autism. PMID:26068453

Gender, social support, and depression in criminal justice-involved adolescents.

PubMed

Johnson, Jennifer E; Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Miranda, Robert; Rizzo, Christie J; Justus, Alicia N; Clum, George

2011-10-01

Knowing where criminal justice-involved teens look for support and whether those supports reduce depression has important and possibly gender-specific treatment implications for this vulnerable population. This study examines the relationships between social support and depression in a mixed-gender sample of 198 incarcerated adolescents. Greater support from families and overall and greater satisfaction with supports predicted lower depression for boys and girls. Support from siblings and extended family strongly predicted lower depression; support from parents and from friends was either not related or only weakly related to depression. Girls reported higher levels of depression, more support from friends and extended family, and less support from parents than did boys. Family, sibling, and overall support were stronger predictors of depression for girls than for boys. Results suggest that nonparent family members, especially siblings and extended family, provide important emotional resources for teens in the criminal justice system. © 2011 SAGE Publications

Familial risks of glomerulonephritis - a nationwide family study in Sweden.

PubMed

Akrawi, Delshad Saleh; Li, Xinjun; Sundquist, Jan; Fjellstedt, Erik; Sundquist, Kristina; Zöller, Bengt

2016-08-01

Familial risks of glomerulonephritis (acute, chronic and unspecified glomerulonephritis) have not been studied. This study aims to determine the familial risks of glomerulonephritis. Individuals born from1932 onwards diagnosed with glomerulonephritis (acute [n = 7011], chronic [n = 10,242] and unspecified glomerulonephritis [n = 5762]) were included. The familial risk (Standardized incidence ratio = SIR) was calculated for individuals whose parents/full-siblings were diagnosed with glomerulonephritis compared to those whose parents/full-siblings were not. The procedure was repeated for spouses. Familial concordant risk (same disease in proband and exposed relative) and discordant risk (different disease in proband and exposed relative) of glomerulonephritis were determined. Familial concordant risks (parents/full-sibling history) were: SIR = 3.57 (95% confidence interval, 2.77-4.53) for acute glomerulonephritis, SIR = 3.84 (3.37-4.36) for chronic glomerulonephritis and SIR = 3.75 (2.85-4.83) for unspecified glomerulonephritis. High familial risks were observed if two or more relatives were affected; the SIR was 209.83 (150.51-284.87) in individuals with at least one affected parent as well as one full-sibling. The spouse risk was only moderately increased (SIR = 1.53, 1.33-1.75). Family history of glomerulonephritis is a strong predictor for glomerulonephritis, and is a potentially useful tool in clinical risk assessment. Our data emphasize the contribution of familial factors to the glomerulonephritis burden in the community. Key Messages The familial risks (full-sibling/parent history) of glomerulonephritis (acute, chronic and unspecified glomerulonephritis) have not been determined previously. The familial risks of glomerulonephritis were increased among individuals with family history of acute, chronic or unspecified glomerulonephritis. The familial risks of glomerulonephritis were slightly increased among spouses indicating a modest non-genetic contribution. Very high familial risks were observed in multiplex families, i.e. with one or more affected first-degree relatives.

Sibling Relationships: Parent-Child Agreement and Contributions of Siblings With and Without ASD.

PubMed

Braconnier, Megan L; Coffman, Marika C; Kelso, Nicole; Wolf, Julie M

2018-05-01

Research on the experiences of siblings of individuals with ASD and the quality of their sibling relationships has yielded mixed results. The present study examined the significance of parent- versus child-report of both positive and negative behaviors exhibited by siblings and their brothers and sisters with ASD within sibling dyads. Findings indicated that siblings were more positive in their assessment of the sibling relationship than were their parents. Siblings exhibited more positive behaviors within the sibling relationship than did their brothers and sisters with ASD, and were recipients of aggression. These findings are consistent with prior research suggesting that siblings tend to take on a caretaking role, and point to important targets for intervention.

Applied behavior analysis programs for autism: sibling psychosocial adjustment during and following intervention use.

PubMed

Cebula, Katie R

2012-05-01

Psychosocial adjustment in siblings of children with autism whose families were using a home-based, applied behavior analysis (ABA) program was compared to that of siblings in families who were not using any intensive autism intervention. Data gathered from parents, siblings and teachers indicated that siblings in ABA families experienced neither significant drawbacks nor benefits in terms of their behavioral adjustment, sibling relationship quality and self-concept compared to control group siblings, either during or following intervention use. Parents and siblings perceived improvements in sibling interaction since the outset of ABA, with parents somewhat more positive in their views than were siblings. Social support was associated with better sibling outcomes in all groups. Implications for supporting families using ABA are considered.

Reporting errors in siblings' survival histories and their impact on adult mortality estimates: results from a record linkage study in Senegal.

PubMed

Helleringer, Stéphane; Pison, Gilles; Kanté, Almamy M; Duthé, Géraldine; Andro, Armelle

2014-04-01

Estimates of adult mortality in countries with limited vital registration (e.g., sub-Saharan Africa) are often derived from information about the survival of a respondent's siblings. We evaluated the completeness and accuracy of such data through a record linkage study conducted in Bandafassi, located in southeastern Senegal. We linked at the individual level retrospective siblings' survival histories (SSH) reported by female respondents (n = 268) to prospective mortality data and genealogies collected through a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS). Respondents often reported inaccurate lists of siblings. Additions to these lists were uncommon, but omissions were frequent: respondents omitted 3.8 % of their live sisters, 9.1 % of their deceased sisters, and 16.6 % of their sisters who had migrated out of the DSS area. Respondents underestimated the age at death of the siblings they reported during the interview, particularly among siblings who had died at older ages (≥45 years). Restricting SSH data to person-years and events having occurred during a recent reference period reduced list errors but not age and date errors. Overall, SSH data led to a 20 % underestimate of 45 q 15 relative to HDSS data. Our study suggests new quality improvement strategies for SSH data and demonstrates the potential use of HDSS data for the validation of "unconventional" demographic techniques.

Trajectories of Children's Social Interactions with their Infant Sibling in the First Year: A Multi-Dimensional Approach

PubMed Central

Oh, Wonjung; Volling, Brenda L.; Gonzalez, Richard

2015-01-01

Individual differences in longitudinal trajectories of children's social behaviors toward their infant sibling were examined simultaneously across multiple social dimensions: Positive engagement (moving toward), Antagonism (moving against), and Avoidance (moving away). Three distinct social patterns were identified: (C1) Positively-Engaged (n=107, 50%); (C2) Escalating-Antagonism (n=90, 42%); and (C3) Early-Onset Antagonism (n=16, 8%). Children in the positively-engaged class had high levels of positive engagement with their infant siblings, coupled with low levels of antagonism and avoidance. The escalating-antagonism class was positively engaged in sibling interaction with a steep escalation in antagonistic behavior and avoidance from 4 to 12 months. Children in the early-onset antagonism class displayed the highest level of antagonistic behavior starting as early as 4 months, and became increasingly avoidant over time. A path model, guided by a process × person × context × time model, revealed that low parental self-efficacy heightened by parenting stress and children's dysregulated temperament was directly related to the escalating-antagonism pattern. Punitive parenting in response to children's antagonistic behavior increased the likelihood of being in the early-onset antagonism class. Together, the results highlighted heterogeneity in the earliest emergence of sibling interaction patterns and the interplay of child and parent factors in predicting distinct sibling interaction trajectory patterns. PMID:25664367

Self-Representations in Early Adolescence: Variations in Sibling Similarity by Sex Composition and Sibling Relationship Qualities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamble, Wendy C.; Card, Noel A.; Yu, Jeong Jin

2010-01-01

Self-representations play an important role in adolescent development. This study compared self-representations for siblings and explored whether sibling relationship characteristics are associated with similarities or differences in sibling self-concepts. We examined self-representations of 438 adolescent sibling dyads (M age younger sibling =…

Structural Features of Sibling Dyads and Attitudes toward Sibling Relationships in Young Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggio, Heidi R.

2006-01-01

This study examined sibling-dyad structural variables (sex composition, age difference, current coresidence, position adjacency, family size, respondent and/or sibling ordinal position) and attitudes toward adult sibling relationships. A sample of 1,053 young adults (M age = 22.1 years) described one sibling using the Lifespan Sibling Relationship…

Adult siblings of individuals with Down syndrome versus with autism: findings from a large-scale US survey.

PubMed

Hodapp, R M; Urbano, R C

2007-12-01

As adults with Down syndrome live increasingly longer lives, their adult siblings will most likely assume caregiving responsibilities. Yet little is known about either the sibling relationship or the general functioning of these adult siblings. Using a national, web-based survey, this study compared adult siblings of individuals with Down syndrome to siblings of individuals with autism in terms of a potential 'Down syndrome advantage' and changes across age of the brother/sister with disabilities. Two groups were examined, siblings of persons with Down syndrome (n = 284) and with autism (n = 176). The Adult Sibling Questionnaire measured the number and length of contacts between siblings and their brothers/sisters with disabilities; the warmth, closeness and positiveness of the sibling relationship; and the sibling's overall levels of perceived health, depression and rewards of being a sibling. Compared with siblings of brothers/sisters with autism, siblings of brothers/sisters with Down syndrome showed closer, warmer sibling relationships, along with slightly better health, lower levels of depressive symptoms and more contacts. Across age groups of the brother/sister with disabilities, both groups showed lessened contacts, with less close sibling relationships occurring when brothers/sisters with disabilities were aged 30-44 years and 45 years and older (in Down syndrome) and 45 years and older (in autism). Within both groups, closer sibling relationships were associated with more frequent and lengthy contacts, brothers/sisters with disabilities who were better at maintaining friendships and had lower levels of behavioural/emotional problems, and siblings who felt themselves more rewarded by being a sibling to a brother/sister with disabilities. In line with earlier work on families of children with disabilities, this study shows an advantage for siblings of adults with Down syndrome, in terms of both sibling relationships and of slightly better health and lessened depressive symptoms. Both joint contacts and close sibling relationships do, however, differ when the brother/sister with disabilities is older. As the first generation of probable caregivers, siblings of persons with Down syndrome who are in their forties, fifties and sixties require increased research attention.