RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ELDER SIBLINGS’ VERSUS PARENTS’ ACCEPTANCE AND BEHAVIORAL CONTROL TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT OF YOUNGER SIBLINGS IN TURKEY

Abstract

This study explores the differential contribution of elder siblings' versus parents' acceptance and behavioral control to the psychological adjustment of younger siblings in Turkey. One hundred eighty younger siblings (M = 12.38 years) in intact nuclear families with at least one older sibling (M = 15.79 years) responded to four self-reports. Results of simple regression analyses showed that younger siblings' perceptions of odler siblings, mothers', and fathers' acceptance (but not behavioral control) each made a unique contribution to the psychological adjustment of the younger siblings. Hierarchical regression analyses, however, showed that younger brothers' perceptions of older sisters' acceptance did not make a unique contribution to the boys' adjustment. But all other sibling pairs did contribute uniquely to the adjustment of younger siblings.

Keywords

• sibling acceptance
• parental acceptance
• behavioral control
• psychological adjustment