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Sibling Relationships in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Parent–Child Relationship

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Abstract

Conflicting theories (e.g., compensatory and congruence) describe the effect of the parent–child relationship on sibling relationship quality. By identifying specific parenting factors (i.e., Care and Control) and specific aspects of the sibling relationship (i.e., Affect, Behaviors, and Cognitions), the current study sought to examine the factors related to either theory in order to better understand the sibling relationship in emerging adulthood. Data were collected from 575 undergraduate students. A factorial MANOVA tested the relationship between parenting style and sibling relationship quality, measured by the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale. Results primarily supported the congruence hypothesis and revealed that parental Care and Control are important variables in understanding the sibling relationship. Additionally, the findings were consistent across racial/ethnic groups.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge Hannah K. Greer and Kyle G. Parker for their hard work and dedication to data collection and data management.

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  1. University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle # 311280, Denton, TX, 76203-1280, USA

    Laura Collier Portner & Shelley A. Riggs

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  1. Laura Collier Portner
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  2. Shelley A. Riggs
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Correspondence to Laura Collier Portner.

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Portner, L.C., Riggs, S.A. Sibling Relationships in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Parent–Child Relationship. J Child Fam Stud 25, 1755–1764 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0358-5

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