The Quality of Sibling Relationships

Abstract

In the last twenty years sibling research has expanded dramatically. We continue to have research that focuses on the siblings as comparisons with target subjects, and research that focuses on siblings’ impact on the individual, but we also have a considerable growth in empirical research that looks at the quality of sibling relationships as an independent (input) variable and a dependent (outcome) variable. Clearly a single chapter cannot do justice to such a substantial body of literature.

It doesn’t seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we’ve traveled. Our brothers and sisters bring us face to face with our former selves and remind us how intricately bound up we are in each other’s lives. (Jane Mersky Leder, 1991)