ABSTRACT

Children’s relationships with their siblings can be important sources of influence in their lives, along with those they form with their parents, teachers, and friends. Siblings can serve as playmates, companions, agents of socialization, advocates with the peer group, and allies in dealing with parents, as well as models of both positive and negative behavior. As siblings compare themselves with one another, they develop ideas about their own abilities and worth (Tesser, 1980). Their behavior toward one another has been found to be associated with aspects of their social and cognitive development, personalities, and personal adjustment (Daniels, Dunn, Furstenberg, & Plomin, 1985; McHale & Gamble, 1987). Feelings that siblings develop toward one another in childhood have been found to persist into their adult lives (Ross, Dalton, & Milgram, 1981; Ross & Milgram, 1982). The sibling relationship, therefore, is an important area of study.