When Does Parents’ Differential Treatment Have Negative Implications for Siblings?

Abstract

We compared the extent of parents' differential treatment (PDT) and girls' and boys' perceptions of parents' fairness in middle childhood and adolescence as a function of the gender constellation of the sibling dyad. Further, we examined links between PDT in three domains, parental warmth, parents' temporal involvement, and the allocation of household tasks, and both siblings' self esteem and positivity in the sibling relationship. Participants were mothers, fathers and both first-and secondborn siblings from 385 families. To collect information on siblings' family experiences and wellbeing, family members were interviewed individually in their homes. During the subsequent 2-3 weeks, 7 evening telephone interviews also were conducted; these focused on siblings' daily activities. Analyses revealed different patterns of PDT for siblings as a function of age and gender constellation, stronger links with self esteem and sibling positivity for perceptions of fairness than for PDT, and different patterns of association with self esteem and sibling relations across domains of PDT. We emphasize the importance of studying the processes through which PDT experiences have implications for siblings.

Young Adult Sibling Relations: The Effects of Perceived Parental Favoritism and Narcissism

“…These findings raise the question of why paternal disfavoring and not maternal disfavoring was linked to narcissism and sibling warmth. McHale et al (2000) give some support to our findings; they reported that lower levels of fathers' involvement, warmth, and disfavoring of their adolescents participants were associated with lower levels of self-esteem. In this vein, it worth mentioning McCoy (1992, 1994), whose studies reported that the effects of the father's differential parenting accounted for unique effects in sibling relationships more often than the mother's differential parenting and that the father's unequal treatment was associated with negative sibling relationships.…”

“…The favored sibling would be the one likely to experience guilt toward or contempt for the disfavored brother or sister who, in turn, is likely to experience feelings of anger, resentment, and jealously toward the favored sibling (Angel, 2006;Brody, 1998). Disparities in parents' affection for and warmth toward different children in the family, and differences in how restrictive and punitive parents are toward each child, have been shown to undermine the quality of the sibling relationship during childhood and adolescence and to provoke hostile, coercive, and frequent conflict between siblings (Boer, Goedhart, & Treffers 1992;Brody, Stoneman, & McCoy, 1992;Feinberg, Reiss, Neiderhiser, & Hetherington, 2005;McHale, Crouter, & McGuire, 1995;McHale et al, 2000). Rauer and Volling (2007), who studied 200 young adults aged 18-22 years, reported that parental differential affection was strongly related to feelings of jealousy toward one's sibling.…”

Subjective Well-Being of Adolescent Boys Living in Single-Mother Households in a Cape Town Suburb, South Africa

“…One explanation for the participants' reported dissatisfaction with the social support within their single-mother households may be because of the stage of physical development of the participants who being adolescents were in search of their identity (male identity for that matter) which cause them to experience conflicts with their opposite-sex parents (their mothers) (Bojuwoye, & Sylvester, 2012). McHale et al (2000) note that as adolescents go through the process of identity formation and trying to assert their independence from their parents they may encounter strains in their relationships with the parents. Bojuwoye et al (2012) also report that adolescent boys in single-mother households often find communication with their oppositesex parents very difficult.…”

Unravelling Children’s Perceptions of Parental Differential Treatment

“…Our sample allowed further refinement, such as distinguishing between pleasurable and task-related activities in parents' differential time involvement. In line with research of Koch (as cited in McHale et al, 2000) that first and second born children differ in family responsibilities, we included responsibility of the sibling as an aspect of household responsibilities. Also, children expressed ambiguity with regard to direct parental control, viewing both its beneficial aspects for development and its token of parental involvement, as well as the unpleasantness of the confrontation with boundaries.…”