The Association between Sibling Warmth and Conflict and Adolescent Aggressive Behavior, Moderated by Gender

Abstract

Aim The current study aimed to examine whether the relationship between sibling warmth and sibling conflict is associated with aggressive behavior in adolescents and whether this relationship is moderated by gender. Method The study contains data from a cross-sectional study. Questionnaires data was collected from 521 adolescents (M= 14.6 years) who identified themselves as a boy (48%) or girl (50.3%), with at least one sibling (M=15.2 years). The age difference between adolescents and siblings was 0.6 years. The sample consisted of brother-brother (27.8%), sister-sister (22.3%), and mixed-gender (51%) pairs. Students from Utrecht University recruited schools through their network. After consent, students completed the questionnaires during mentoring hours, under the guidance of UU students. A Pearson correlation analysis and a PROCESS analysis were conducted to answer the research questions. Results The analysis revealed that sibling conflict corresponds significantly with aggressive behavior. Robust effects are found in the relationship between sibling warmth and aggressive behavior in adolescents. The results of a moderation analysis show that the interaction effect is not significant. Conclusion In summary, higher levels of sibling conflict are significantly associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior in adolescents. There is a literature gap, emphasizing the need for additional (longitudinal) studies. Implementing (preventive) interventions within families and among siblings, to reduce sibling conflict could serve as a protective factor against the development of aggressive behavior in adolescents. Gender may not necessarily need to be considered when implementing the interventions.