De Kwaliteit van de Broer/zus-relatie en Depressie bij Brugklassers en de Invloed van Seksecombinatie

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine if there is an association between quality of sibling relationship and depression and also if this association is influenced by gender combination. Method: In this cross-sectional study 892 first grade high school students (Mage = 12.48, SD = .58) from five different schools took part in a survey. The survey included the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire-Short version and the Youth Self Report, which were used to determine warmth, conflict and depression. The sample consist of 195 sister/sister combinations, 177 brother/brother combinations and 412 brother/sister combinations. Results: More warmth and less conflict are significantly associated with less depression. However, when accounting for gender combination and interaction effects between gender combination and sibling warmth/conflict, only warmth remains significantly associated with depression. Gender combination does not influence the association between quality of sibling relationship and depression. Conclusion: The study confirms that more warmth and less conflict is linked to less depression. So both warmth and conflict influence depression, but the effects of warmth are more robust. There is no difference for this effect between the gender combinations.