Characteristics and correlates of sibling relationships in two-parent African American families.
Journal
  Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43).
Citation
  J Fam Psychol. 21(2):227-35
Publication date
  2007 Jun
Authors
  McHale SM
Whiteman SD
Kim JY
Crouter AC
Grant agencies
  National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Grants
  NICHD R01-HD32336
Abstract
  The authors studied sibling relationships of African American youths and family and youth characteristics linked to sibling dynamics. Participants were fathers, mothers, and 2 siblings (M = 14.04 and M = 10.34 years of age) from 172 working-middle class 2-parent families. Cluster analyses of data collected in home interviews revealed 3 sibling relationship types: positive, negative, and distant. Parent education was lower, parent religiosity higher, and parent-child relationships more positive in the positive group; maternal discrimination experiences were higher in the negative group; youth ethnic identity was stronger in the positive group; and youth depression and risky behavior were higher in the negative group. The findings target sociocultural factors to consider in interventions for African American families.