ABSTRACT

The close supportive relationships children form with family members are essential for the optimal development of children. Research addressing children’s development and family relationships has focused predominantly on the mother–child relationship as the major socializing influence on children. Yet, most children in the United States grow up in families with at least one brother or sister and there is growing evidence that the sibling relationship provides a positive socialization context for children throughout childhood and adolescence (Dunn, 1987, 1998). Although many parenting handbooks often discuss the rivalrous and competitive nature of sibling relationships (e.g., Faber & Mazlish, 1987), the relationship a child has with her sibling can also be an important source of companionship and support (Furman & Buhrmester, 1985). Early developments in the quality of children’s sibling relationships are significant for the child’s development, as sibling relationships are one of the longest lasting relationships of an individual’s life (Lamb & Sutton-Smith, 1982). It is true that intense sibling rivalries can originate in the early years of childhood, be long-lived, and affect the closeness of adult sibling relationships decades later (Ross & Milgram, 1982). Siblings in later life, however, may be some of the last remaining members of the family of origin and close sibling relationships in late adulthood are often a source of companionship and support for the elderly (Gold, 1987).