Who Said You Could Wear My Sweater?
“Who Said You Could Wear My Sweater?” Adolescent Siblings’ Conflicts and Associations with Relationship Quality”
1. Why does sibling conflict peak the most during 6th grade?
2. What two qualities were reported being lower in the older age groups of siblings? Explain why you feel these two qualities may not be as important during adolescence than childhood. (Consider adolescence age from 10-19 years old and childhood from birth to age 10).
3. Describe the difference between “personal conflicts” and “moral conflicts.” Which one is more intense in sibling relationship quality and WHY?
4. The study included results from the parents and their own reported relationship quality with the child/adolescent. Why would this be important when examining sibling conflict or sibling relationship quality? When answering this question, consider the overall structure of a family and the uniqueness of individual relationships within.
5. What can this article help tell us about sibling relationships in general? In your personal experience, how have you been impacted by sibling relationships either positively or negatively? As you explain, pick out at least 2 pieces of evidence from the article that shows support for your discussion. If you were an only child, you too can gain something from the article and make contrasts/comparisons to your own experiences or relationship with other family members as a result of lack of siblings.
6. At the end of the article the authors discuss several limitations of their study. List at least two limitations of their study and then explain why these limitations are important to know when reviewing their results.
7. Cite the article in complete APA format.
Sample Solution
While many kids are lucky enough to become the best of friends with their siblings, it is common for brothers and sisters to fight. Many different things can cause siblings to fight. Most brothers and sisters experience some degree of jealousy or competition, and this can flare into squabbles and bickering. Siblings have frequent disagreements during adolescence. Furman and Buhrmester (1985) found that of six major relationships (mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, friends, and teachers), early adolescents perceived conflict as occurring most frequently with siblings, perhaps due to the nature of the relationships. Sibling relationships become less intense, both positively and negatively, as children move into adolescence.
