Links between Sibling Relationships and Positive Youth Development in African American Adolescents
Open Access
Author:
Groenendyk, Allison Erin
Graduate Program:
Human Development and Family Studies
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
May 27, 2008
Committee Members:
Susan Marie Mc Hale, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
sibling relationships positive youth development siblings
Abstract:
Links between sibling relationship quality and positive youth development outcomes were examined in a sample of 192 African American adolescent sibling dyads. Data were collected in home interviews conducted with mothers, fathers, and two adolescent siblings (M = 16.31 and M = 12.56 for the older and younger siblings’ ages). Both siblings reported on four dimensions of sibling relationship quality, and younger siblings reported on their developmental assets (positive identity, positive values, support, boundaries and expectations, social competence, and commitment to learning). Analyses revealed that, after controlling for parent-adolescent relationship quality, sibling warmth was associated with higher levels of developmental assets and sibling conflict, control, and relational aggression were associated with fewer developmental assets. The gender composition of the sibling dyad moderated these linkages, however, such that sibling relationship quality and positive development were more often correlated in opposite sex sibling, than in same sex sibling dyads.
