Browsing by Subject "Siblings"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Characteristics of the sibling relationship that predict sibling similarity in adolescent alcohol use: exploring potential shared environmental effects.
    (2012-05) Samek, Diana R.
    Using a genetically informative sibling-pair design (N = 613), three studies were conducted to extend knowledge on how siblings influence adolescent alcohol use. Study 1 utilized latent class analysis to determine if patterns of sibling similarity in alcohol use could be detected. The 3-class model was the best fitting for Wave 1, and the 4-class model was the best fitting for Wave 2. Study 2 established the predictive validity of Study 1 by testing characteristics of the sibling relationship (closeness, conflict, communication) at Wave 1 as predictors of sibling similarity in alcohol use patterns at Wave 2. Communication and conflict predicted the 4-class model, but closeness did not. Study 3 utilized Cholesky decomposition in order to decompose the genetic and environmental contributions to the correlation between mom, dad, and sibling involvement in their association with adolescent alcohol use. There were few significant findings, potentially due to power issues. Altogether, this research demonstrates sibling influences on adolescent alcohol use and provides guidelines for future research in my general program of research.
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    Emerging Adult-Sibling Relationships: Closeness, Communication, and Well-being
    (2018-05) LeBouef, Samantha
    In the current study, we examined the relationships between well-being, sibling closeness, and sibling communication to address several gaps in the literature. Extending the concepts and assumptions of social exchange theory, the goal of this study was to determine if well-being moderates the relationship between communication and perceived sibling closeness. This study utilized a subsample (n=236) of participants from a larger sample of emerging adults. Surveys were collected through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and participants were compensated $0.50 for their time. Hierarchal multiple regression was used and analyses were run using IBM SPSS Statistics 23. The dataset was evaluated for compliance with linear regression assumptions. Results found that neither emotional, psychological, nor social well-being moderated the relationship between sibling communication and sibling closeness. However, associations between sibling communication and sibling closeness were statistically significant in the full model. Male-female gender dyads, as well as the race Asian, were found to be statistically significant. Results suggested male-female gender dyads were more likely to be close and those who identified as Asian as less likely to be close to their siblings. Limitations and future research are considered.
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    In A God-Fearing House: A Sibling Study of Conservative Christian Families with LGBTQ Offspring
    (2022-06) Okrey Anderson, Sloan
    Manuscript one explores the religious family environment and parent-child relationships for LGBTQ people from the perspectives of both the LGBTQ person and one of their siblings. The aim of this first study is to describe the experiences of LGBTQ people growing up in non-affirming Christian families, including their role in the family system, their parent-child relationships, and their experiences with identity disclosure. Manuscript one also addresses the question of theological affirmation and whether it is relevant to LGBTQ parent-child relationship quality. Manuscript two focuses on sibling relationships in the context of non-affirming Christian families. The aim of this study is to identify and describe barriers to supportive sibling relationships for LGBTQ people both before and after identity disclosure. Manuscript two also seeks to address the question of whether parental non-affirmation has an impact on sibling relationships. Finally, in light of the importance of family support, there have been calls for more research and more evidence-based interventions with families of LGBTQ people. However, research suggests that the motivations and mechanisms of anti-LGBTQ sentiment may be vastly different between Black and White American Christians. Thus, the aim of manuscript three is to explore and describe characteristics of Black and White American churches in the context of existing literature on these sub-cultures.