Perpetration of sibling aggression and sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood

This study examined how emerging adults' perpetration of aggression toward a sibling closest in age was longitudinally associated with their sibling relationship quality. Emerging adults (N = 143; M_age = 19.62; 70% female) completed surveys online or by mail at two time points, 4 years apart. Of emerging adults, 25% perpetrated aggression against their closest‐in‐age sibling. Perpetration of sibling aggression was predictive 4 years later of less sibling warmth, involvement, and emotional help. None of the interactions with gender and sibling gender was significant. This study's findings demonstrate the importance of examining the consequences of perpetration of aggressive behavior toward a sibling for sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood.     

Measuring romantic jealousy: Validation of the multidimensional jealousy scale in Australian samples

Although a number of questionnaires have been developed to measure romantic jealousy, there is a lack of independent research that has substantiated their psychometric properties and minimal research that has tested and applied these measures in a consistent and reliable way. We aimed to address these gaps by providing the first validation study of an existing measure of romantic jealousy—the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale (MJS). The MJS was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in two separate samples of individuals in romantic relationships of at least 2 months duration. A 17‐item Short‐Form MJS (SF‐MJS) was supported, with three factors representing cognitive, emotional, and behavioural jealousy. Internal reliabilities were high. Consistent evidence supported the discriminant and concurrent validity of the SF‐MJS. Overall, the current research provides a brief, validated measure of romantic jealousy for use in the general population. Potential clinical uses are discussed.     

同胞关系及其与儿童青少年社会性发展的关系

同胞关系是指兄弟姐妹之间分享与彼此有关的知识、观点、态度、信念和感受的所有互动,具有平等互惠性和补充性。同胞关系质量分为同胞温暖与冲突、界限黏结与解离、积极与消极同胞关系。亲缘选择和家庭系统理论从进化和环境视角解释同胞关系。同胞关系对于儿童青少年内外化问题行为和人际关系等具有重要影响。未来应关注特殊儿童青少年同胞关系的特点,深入探讨同胞关系对儿童青少年社会性发展的作用机制和干预措施,加强本土化研究。     

Measuring the quality of the sibling relationship during middle childhood: The psychometric properties of the Sibling Relationship Inventory

To address a significant gap in the literature on sibling relationships, the present study examined the psychometric properties of the Sibling Relationship Inventory (SRI) in an Italian sample. The study had three main aims: (i) to investigate the factorial structure of the SRI; (ii) to evaluate the invariance of the SRI's factorial structure across birth order; and (iii) to test the SRI's validity. To this end 385 children, 213 first-borns and 172 second-borns (aged 6 to 12) were recruited. Confirmatory factor analyses showed a three-factor structure identical to that reported by the authors of the SRI. Critically, the SRI structure was stable when first- and second-borns were considered separately. Overall, the Italian version of the SRI showed good psychometric properties.     

Sexual jealousy: Gender differences in response to partner and rival

Young women (N = 64) and men (N = 52) were asked to imagine discovering that their romantic partner had been sexually unfaithful. Fewer men than women gave positive endorsements to sets of aggressive actions against the unfaithful partner and against the rival. Gender differences did not appear in the motive for taking action against the rival, but more men than women endorsed releasing frustration as the motive for aggressive action against the partner. The genders appeared equally interested in maintaining the relationship with the unfaithful partner, preventing future infidelity, and attracting another partner. More men than women said they were uncertain about their partner's sexual fidelity. The results were interpreted as evidence that women are devalued more than men by an act of sexual infidelity, resulting in men's greater frustration with the partner's transgression but relative behavioral indifference to both the transgressing partner and rival. Men's greater uncertainty about a partner's infidelity may provide the basis for, as suggested by other data, men's greater tendency to ensure that a partner's infidelity and consequent devaluation never occur. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Sibling influences on gender development in middle childhood and early adolescence: a longitudinal study

The development of gender role qualities (attitudes, personality, leisure activities) from middle childhood to early adolescence was studied to determine whether siblings' gender role qualities predicted those of their sisters and brothers. Participants were 198 firstborn and second-born siblings (Ms = 10 years 9 months and 8 years 3 months, respectively, in Year 1) and their parents. Families were interviewed annually for 3 years. Firstborn siblings' qualities in Year 1 predicted second-born children's qualities in Year 3 when both parent and child qualities in Year 1 were controlled, a pattern consistent with a social learning model of sibling influence. Parental influence was more evident and sibling influence less evident in predicting firstborns' qualities; for firstborns, sibling influences suggested a de-identification process.     

Effects of task difficulty on sibling teaching in middle childhood

Teaching styles were investigated in 28 middle‐class sibling dyads (older sibling M age = 8.2 yrs; younger sibling M age =5.11 yrs) using two sets of block design tasks (five easy; five hard). Older siblings employed a greater number of strategies (i.e. physical demonstrations, scaffolding, corrective feedback) in the hard than in the easy tasks, thus demonstrating the ability to adjust teaching strategies according to task difficulty. Teachers also employed more frequent strategies when learners were younger indicating that they may be sensitive to developmental differences. In the hard tasks, learners responded positively to teacher guidance, but were also more likely to reject the teacher's help, perhaps demonstrating responsibility for their own learning. Findings are discussed in light of current social‐cognitive approaches highlighting the important roles of both teacher and learner during episodes of sibling teaching in middle childhood. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sexual jealousy in young women and men: Aggressive responsiveness to partner and rival

Two studies compared judgments about aggressive components of jealous reactions to the partner and to the rival, specifically, emotional (anger), cognitive (blame), and behavioral components. The first study randomly assigned 172 young women and men to two questionnaires on jealous reactions to mild (flirting) and serious (cheating) transgressions. One questionnaire assessed standards for appropriate behavior and perceptions of how people usually react. The second questionnaire asked people to report how they had reacted or, if not experienced with a sexual transgression, how they would react. The second study asked 113 people to imagine a situation in which they knew their partner had been sexually unfaithful. There were three major findings that were interpreted in the context of courtship, a time when attention is focused on the qualities of one's potential long-term partner. First, the jealous individual's anger and blame were focused more on the partner than the rival. Second, mean anger and blame scores given the partner were well matched. In contrast, the rival received more anger and blame than deemed appropriate and considerably more anger than blame. These data suggest that, in the context of courtship, a rival is not simply a competitor. Third, men were more inclined to think about aggressive action against the rival but women were more emotionally and behaviorally reactive to the rival. The latter result implies that, in the context of competition for an established romantic partner, a rival is more salient for women than for men. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Sibling relationship quality in early adolescence: child and maternal perceptions and daily interactions

Correspondence between child and maternal perceptions of sibling relationship quality (standards, actual ratings, problems) and children's reports of daily interactions were assessed in 40 early adolescent children (M age=11.5 yrs) and their mothers (n=32). Children completed the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Furman & Buhrmester, 1985. Child Development, 56, 448–461) and Daily Checklist ratings of sibling interactions for 14 days. Mothers completed the Parental Expectations and Perceptions of Children's Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Kramer & Baron, 1995. Family Relations, 44, 95–103). Overall, findings revealed correspondence between child perceptions of sibling warmth and maternal ratings of standards, actual ratings, and problems in sibling warmth but not conflict and rivalry. Maternal and child perceptions of sibling relationship qualities were positively associated with children's reports of ongoing interactions. Finally, regression analyses identified unique maternal and child correlates for both happy and prosocial daily interactions. Findings are discussed in light of recent research and theory on family dynamics. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reciprocal and complementary sibling interactions,relationship quality and socio‐emotional problem solving

Associations between reciprocal and complementary sibling interactions, sibling relationship quality, and children's socio‐emotional problem solving were examined in 40 grade 5–6 children (M age = 11.5 years) from middle class, Caucasian, Canadian families using a multi‐method approach (i.e. interviews, self‐report questionnaires, daily diary checklist, narrative task). Findings demonstrated that reciprocal sibling interactions were positively associated with warmth, mutual esteem, happy daily exchanges, and negatively related to rivalry and dominance, whereas complementary interactions were positively related to upsetting daily exchanges. Further, reciprocal and complementary interactions differed significantly in relation to several relationship qualities, with reciprocal interactions emerging as a significantly stronger correlate of happy exchanges. Only reciprocal interactions were positively correlated with socio‐emotional problem solving. Finally, birth order moderated the negative association of reciprocal interactions with rivalry and dominance and the positive association with socio‐emotional problem solving. In each case, the effect was stronger for younger members of the sibling dyad. Findings are discussed in light of recent theory on the sibling relationship and children's development. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A longitudinal study of student-teacher relationship quality, difficult temperament, and risky behavior from childhood to early adolescence

This study examines the mediating role of student-teacher relationship quality (conflict and closeness) in grades 4, 5, and 6 on the relation between background characteristics, difficult temperament at age 4½ and risky behavior in 6th grade. The longitudinal sample of participants (N = 1156) was from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate paths from (a) background characteristics to student-teacher relationship quality and risky behavior, (b) temperament to student-teacher relationship quality and risky behavior, and (c) student-teacher relationship quality to risky behavior. Findings indicate that students' family income, gender, receipt of special services, and more difficult temperament were associated with risky behavior. In addition, student-teacher conflict was a mediator. Students with more difficult temperaments were more likely to report risky behavior and to have conflict in their relationships with teachers. More conflict predicted more risky behavior. Closer student-teacher relationships were associated with less risky behavior. Results suggest negative relationships, specifically student-teacher relationships, may increase the risk that certain adolescents will engage in risky behavior.     

Sibling relationships and civic engagement: A longitudinal study of Chinese young adults

This study examined the longitudinal associations of sibling intimacy and conflict with civic attitudes and behaviours among Chinese young adults. At two time points separated by about 12 months, questionnaire data were collected from 272 Chinese college students (mean age at Time 1 = 19.68 years; 69% female), students who studied in Hong Kong and had at least one sibling. Students rated their intimacy and conflict with their siblings and their parents at Time 1, and their civic attitudes and behaviours at both time points. Hierarchical regression revealed that, controlling for demographic characteristics and parent–child intimacy and conflict, sibling intimacy predicted increases in both civic attitudes and behaviours. Sibling conflict was a non-significant predictor, however. Findings highlighted the roles of siblings in understanding civic development in young adulthood and the utility of targeting sibling intimacy as means to foster young adults' positive attitudes to and active participation in civic activities.     

Assessing children's representational attachment models: links to mother-child attachment quality in infancy and childhood

The authors examined whether the finding of a correspondence between specific behavioral patterns of attachment in infancy and childhood and specific representational patterns in childhood could be replicated using children's responses to a story depicting an imagined parent-child separation experience. The participants were 33 German mothers and their children (16 girls, 17 boys). Attachment quality was assessed via standard and exploratory attachment observations at ages 12 months, 18 months, and 6 years. Chi-square analyses indicated that there was a good level of concordance between the behavioral and representation attachment patterns in infancy and childhood.     

The dynamic relationship between performance feedback, trust, and conflict in groups: A longitudinal study

Moderate task conflict has generally been associated with higher group performance, and relationship conflict associated with lower performance. Past studies have most often discussed their findings as though differences in level of intragroup conflict cause differences in group performance—rather than testing the additional possibility that reported group conflict is a reaction to feedback on past group performance. This paper explores the dynamic relationships between intragroup conflict and performance with a longitudinal design. Results from 67 groups suggest that initial performance feedback to groups can have significant consequences for future team interaction. We find evidence to suggest that, (a) negative initial group performance feedback results in later increases in both task and relationship conflict, but that (b) groups with high early intragroup trust are buffered from experiencing the worst of future relationship conflict.     

Mothers,fathers, sons,and daughters: Are there sex differences in the organization of secure base behavior during early childhood

Recent empirical studies reporting sex differences in attachment relationships have prompted investigators to consider why and under what conditions such results might be observed. This study was designed to explore possibilities of identifying sex differences in the organization of attachment-relevant behavior during early childhood. Observations of 119 children (59 boys) with their mothers and (separately) with their fathers were completed and children were described using the AQS. Results indicated that girls and boys did not differ with respect to global attachment security but at more specific level analyses revealed differences between parents that reflected differences in the behaviors of girls vs. boys with mothers and fathers. Our findings contradict arguments from evolutionary psychologists claiming that sex differences in attachment organization arise during middle childhood. By adopting an attachment measure sensitive to the possibility of behavioral sex differences our data suggest that such differences may be detectable earlier in development. Moreover, these differences are subtle and nuanced and do not suggest large sex differences in attachment security per se.     

Executive function in early childhood: longitudinal measurement invariance and developmental change

This study tested the longitudinal measurement invariance and developmental changes of a newly developed battery of executive function (EF) tasks for use in early childhood. The battery was administered in the Family Life Project-a prospective longitudinal study (N = 1,292) of families who were oversampled from low-income and African American families at the birth of a new child-at assessments conducted when the child was 3, 4, and 5 years old. All 6 individual EF tasks exhibited strong measurement invariance over time. The EF battery, which was derived from the 6 individual tasks, exhibited partial strong invariance over time. Second-order latent growth curve models revealed individual differences in the levels but not rates of change in latent EF ability. The functional form of change was nonlinear; 60% of the total change in EF ability that was observed between the 3- and 5-year assessments occurred between the Year 3 and Year 4 assessments. Results are discussed with respect to the importance of establishing scalable measures of EF ability prior to investigating experiences that predict or are predicted by changes in EF during early childhood.     

Examining program quality in early childhood home visiting: From infrastructure to relationships

Although there are many examples of evidence-based early childhood home-visiting programming, the field itself struggles with modest outcomes and variable levels of program effectiveness. This article documents the experience of creating a statewide monitoring system to assess home-visiting program quality and compliance to identified standards, integrating multiple sources of information across different domains of functioning. Monitoring results from 57 programs are summarized, with variable but promising levels of quality. Programs generally report satisfaction and benefit from the process. In addition, the relationship between direct observations of home visits and home-visitor report of their approach to working with families is analyzed. Results suggest significant, albeit small, associations. Although there are trade-offs between comprehensiveness of information gathering and practical application, the use of monitoring findings to support home-visiting programs holds potential for quality improvement.