Perceived parental differential treatment and ambivalences in sibling relations in emerging adulthood

Siblings play an important role for individual development from an early age on and often remain important attachment figures over the whole life course. Constituting one of the longest relationships people may experience, siblings can be both a source of support and of conflict. Sibling relations are embedded in a larger family context which is shaped by child-parent interactions and by siblings’ individual characteristics. Several studies have shown the negative implications of perceived parental differential treatment (PDT) on the relationship between siblings in childhood, adolescence and adulthood but ambivalences in sibling relations remain understudied.
The aim of the present study was to examine the links between PDT and relationship quality between siblings and to tackle the role of self-efficacy as a moderator.
A sample of N = 176 emerging adults between 18 and 25 years (M = 22.40, SD = 1.86) living in Luxembourg completed an online survey, indicating their perception of their parents’ recognition, nurturance and demands for assuming filial responsibility toward themselves and their target sibling. Further, the participants’ perceived positive and negative emotions as well as their feelings of ambivalence towards their sibling and their self-efficacy were assessed.
Preliminary analyses showed that participants who indicated equal parental treatment reported higher positive and lower negative emotions as well as lower feelings of ambivalence to their sibling compared to those who appeared to be disfavored but - to a lesser extent - also to those who felt favored by their parents. In particular, maternal differential recognition was a significant predictor for ambivalence, but this effect was stronger for those who indicated a lower self-efficacy.
Results will be discussed taking into consideration dynamics in emerging adulthood within the family system as well as birth order and gender effects.