This paper reports on a two-year study exploring children's understandings of disability. It focuses on findings from interviews conducted with 24 children, aged 6 to 19, who had disabled siblings, exploring their perceptions of impairment, disability and difference. Most were very aware of their sibling's impairment but the majority did not see…

The classical attachment theory holds to the notion of a monotropic model. Such a model leads to a view of the mother as first and most important figure in an infant's life. A polytropic view of attachment moves us toward a model of simultaneous and multiple attachment figures. In particular, it is argued that peer attachment is a separate but…

The first children in a family to attain a higher education, referred to as "first-generation students," embody the realization of social mobility. Previous analysis has often portrayed them as succeeding despite their family background. This research suggests that although they face many material challenges, their families are often a…

The project examined the psychosocial functioning of preschool-aged siblings of handicapped children in comparison to a matched control group of siblings of non-handicapped children. The project then examined the psychosocial effects of increasing sibling understanding of and involvement with the handicapped child via participation in a 6-week…

Fifty-four siblings of children with Down Syndrome, their parents, and a matched group of comparison children and parents provided data about sibling relationships. There were no group differences in parental reports. Siblings of children with Down syndrome reported less unkindness and, if in a same-sex dyad, more empathy than did comparison…

Provides guidance for parents in dealing with sibling conflicts. Discusses the importance of defusing sibling fights calmly and with humor and love, and the need to stay out of sibling squabbles when possible. Suggestions for guiding children through a problem-solving process include listening, summarizing, examining, and generalizing. (KB)

Examined 30 Indonesian toddlers' play with their mothers and siblings. Found that the level of object play and mutual involvement in cooperative social pretend play increased with age. Findings suggest that older siblings can be effective facilitators of pretend play with younger children. (MDM)

Two studies examined preschoolers' conflict behavior in peer and sibling dyads. Found that conflicts were quickly resolved in nonaggressive ways, and they occurred within the context of ongoing, coordinated play. Most conflicts occurred between same-gender dyads. Age was also found to influence conflict behavior. (HTH)

Identified those aspects of experiences of siblings of children with cancer that might have impact on school functioning. Also examined extent to which parents and siblings concurred in their reports of siblings' psychosocial functioning and adjustment. Findings from 15 children and adults attending pediatric oncology camp revealed that most…

Assessed differences among self-esteem, locus of control, and career aspirations of 30 college-age siblings of individuals with disabilities (sibling-Ds) and 30 classmates with nondisabled siblings (sibling-Ns). Although sibling-Ds and sibling-Ns reported similar levels of self-esteem, sibling-Ds demonstrated significantly higher levels of…

Used data on 3,625 respondents from National Survey of Families and Households to examine long-term consequences of childhood family structure for adult relationships with parents and siblings. Found that divorced single-parent families were associated with reduced solidarity between parents and children. Custodial mothers' remarriages were…

Examined relative importance of emotional and social isolation to loneliness among very old rural adults (n=119). Found that emotional isolation, specifically loss of spouse, accounted for more loneliness than did social isolation. Hearing acuity and visits with siblings (social isolation variables) also were significant predictors of loneliness.…

The interpersonal relationships of 337 adolescents from Canada, Belgium, and Italy were compared. Important discrepancies were found among the adolescents from the three countries. Family held the most central role for Italian adolescents, whereas friends were more central for Canadians, and Belgians were in between. Variations in cultural context…

Investigates the characteristics of the intrafamily environment that change the intellectual environment of the children and interact with the factor of birth order. Concludes that the effect of birth order is linked: (1) with the gender configuration of sibling relationships; and (2) with various cognitive and personal characteristics of the…

Examined how conflictual and positive sibling relationship qualities differed for fourth, sixth, and eighth graders. Found that several prosocial relationship qualities were lower for sixth graders and higher for eighth graders. Perceptions of relationship qualities differed by gender composition, with boy-boy dyads reporting lower levels of…