The Role of Siblings and Psychological Needs in Predicting Life Satisfaction During Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Life satisfaction during emerging adulthood is important because it promotes positive psychological functioning and prevents risky behaviors that lead to poor health. Self-determination theory emphasizes the agentic nature of individuals to maintain well-being through the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and the social contexts which influence these processes. Because siblings serve as an emotional resource throughout the life span, sibling support may predict well-being through these psychological needs. With this framework as a guide, 337 individuals from the Family Transitions Project reported sibling support at 17 years old, sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness at 19 years old, and life satisfaction at 20 years old. Sibling support in adolescence was significantly associated with autonomy, competence, relatedness, and life satisfaction in emerging adulthood. Sense of competence mediated the association between sibling support and later life satisfaction. Results highlight the unique influence of siblings in contributing toward life satisfaction.

Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective

“…Adolescents who perceive general closeness and academic support from siblings are more likely to report positive school attitudes and high academic motivation (Alfaro & Umaña-Taylor, 2010; Milevsky & Levitt, 2005). In addition, experiencing support from a sibling is associated with later feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness during adolescence, as well as life satisfaction during the transition into emerging adulthood (Hollifield & Conger, 2015). Further, in the face of stressful life events, perceived affection and closeness from a sibling can buffer against the progression of internalizing behaviors across adolescence (Buist et al, 2014; Gass, Jenkins, & Dunn, 2007).…”

Developmental Change in Sibling Support and School Commitment Across Adolescence

“…Supportive sibling relationships during adolescence are associated with facets of adjustment such as greater concurrent self‐concept, sense of autonomy, and self‐esteem, as well as subsequent self‐esteem and positive peer relationships (Branje et al., ; Dailey, ; Yeh & Lempers, ). Additionally, longitudinal work has found that perceptions of sibling support during adolescence positively predict competence, autonomy, connectedness with siblings, and life satisfaction above and beyond sibling structural characteristics such as dyad sex and birth order (Hollifield & Conger, ; Milevsky & Levitt, ). Given the positive association between supportive sibling relationships and healthy self‐perceptions and well‐being, which is consistent with the framework of RRT, sibling relationships may also correlate with adolescent school commitment through these processes.…”

“…Older siblings provide more modeling, advice, support, and knowledge to their younger siblings than vice versa due to their greater power, authority, experience, and access to resources (Bandura, ; Hollifield & Conger, ; Tucker, Barber, & Eccles, ). Tucker et al.…”

“…The sex of each child in a family can affect perceptions and behaviors in family relationships. For example, observational and self‐report data indicate that girls receive more advice and influential guidance, as well as experience greater closeness and relationship satisfaction, in the context of sibling relationships, than do boys (Hollifield & Conger, ; Minnett, Vandell, & Santrock, ; Tucker et al., ). In addition, girls’ perceptions of positivity in the sibling relationship are associated with higher adolescent peer attachment, self‐esteem, school adaptation, and life satisfaction compared to boys’ perceptions (Milevsky & Levitt, ; Oliva & Arranz, ).…”

“…Consideration of a sibling's sex is also important. Relative to their brothers, adolescents report receiving greater intimacy, companionship, and advice from sisters and feel more similar to, greater admiration for, and closer to sisters (Hollifield & Conger, ; Tucker et al., ). Adolescent girls and adolescents who have a sister benefit more from sibling relationships compared to adolescent boys and those with a brother.…”