The Developmental Unfolding of Sibling Influences on Alcohol Use over Time

Abstract

Research has long demonstrated that siblings are similar in their alcohol use, however much of this work relies on cross-sectional samples or samples of adolescents alone and/or exclusive focus on older siblings' impact on younger siblings. Using a three time-point design from early adolescence to early adulthood (M ages = 14.9, 18.3, and 22.4 years, respectively; 55% female; 54% European ancestry, 38% Asian ancestry), we evaluated the prospective older and younger sibling influences on alcohol use across time (N = 613 sibling pairs; 35% sisters, 26% brothers, 39% mixed-gender; average age difference = 2.34 years; 34% full-biological siblings, 46% genetically-unrelated adopted siblings, 20% pairs where one child was the biological offspring of parents and the other was adopted). The results from both the traditional and random-intercept cross-lagged panel analyses showed that older siblings' alcohol use predicted younger siblings' alcohol use across each developmental transition and across a variety of sibling contexts (e.g., gender composition, age difference, genetic relatedness). On the other hand, younger siblings' alcohol use only predicted older siblings' alcohol use when siblings were close in age (1.5 years or less) and under conditions of high sibling companionship. These results add to a body of literature illustrating how both older and younger siblings are important socializing agents of adolescent and early adult alcohol use. Assessing or co-treating siblings for alcohol problems may be an important add-on to existing adolescent and early adult alcohol prevention and intervention programs.

Associations between perceptions about siblings' development and emerging adults' adulthood attainment

“…Indeed, previous research has shown that how an individual perceives reality is just as important as a more objective "reality" (Yadlosky, Aubin, Mosack, & Devine, 2017). In addition, the magnitude of associations between young adults' perceptions of their siblings' development and their own (β's ranged from .13 to .35) were generally consistent with work on sibling influence in emerging adulthood on deviant and sexual risk behaviors that utilized reports from multiple siblings (Samek et al, 2018;Whiteman, Jensen, & Maggs, 2014;Whiteman, Zeiders, et al, 2014). Future work, nonetheless, would benefit from including multiple reports and sources of socialization, including siblings, parents, peers, and romantic partners, in order to isolate to degree to which siblings and others uniquely shape emerging adults' development and attainment.…”

“…Given that more similar individuals are more salient role models (Mischel, ), it has been proposed that sibling modeling, and in turn, sibling similarities, should be the greatest among same‐gender siblings. However, research support for this hypothesis is mixed, with some studies finding greater similarities between siblings' risk behaviors (McHale, Bissell, & Kim, ; Whiteman & Christiansen, ) and others failing to find patterns of moderation (Samek, Goodman, Riley, McGue, & Iacono, ; Samek & Rueter, ). Despite these mixed findings, given the theoretical foundation, in this study, we explored whether sibling similarities in emerging adulthood were the greatest among same‐gender dyads.…”

The Role of Siblings in Adolescent Delinquency Next to Parents, School, and Peers: Do Gender and Age Matter?

“…A few studies reported older delinquent sibling's behavior to be a significant risk factor for adolescents' delinquent behavior and substance use (e.g., ([16, 18-20, 22, 23, 42]; see also [13]). Others reported bidirectional associations between older and younger siblings [17,34]. Further, sibling similarity in delinquent behavior seems to be higher in same-sex sibling pairs, compared to mixed-sex sibling pairs, which might be explained by same-sex siblings feeling closer to each other than opposite-sex siblings [43].…”

“…Recent research that compared sibling influence in adolescence to sibling influence in young adulthood seems to be more in line with the first line of reasoning than with the second. Sibling similarities in alcohol use and delinquency were found to be stronger in adolescence, compared to young adulthood [17,34], suggesting that sibling influences decrease as adolescents grow older.…”

Out of school youth

“…Family members of a similar age such as siblings and cousins would facilitate alcohol and tobacco use. Consistent with the findings of previous international studies with adolescents and their siblings in general (181)(182)(183)(184)(185), close companionship and modelling of sibling behaviour, access to alcohol and tobacco through siblings, sibling co-use and the siblings' friends may have contributed to the alcohol and tobacco use by OSY. OSY reported that older family members such as parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents would discourage tobacco and alcohol use, even if they themselves used alcohol or tobacco.…”