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Parent Mediation Empowers Sibling Conflict Resolution
Abstract
Research Findings: For the current study, formal mediation procedures were adapted for families and parents were trained and asked to mediate their children's disputes; control group parents intervened as they normally would. Conflict negotiations with parents and their children (ages 3½–11 years) occurring 3 and 7 weeks following training, and with children alone 7 months later, were videotaped and coded. Parents were able to learn and implement mediation techniques: They were more likely to discuss the children's emotions and less likely to blame them for past transgressions and to propose solutions to the children's conflicts than were control group parents. Children in the mediation group learned from their parents and were more likely to ask each other for plans to resolve the conflict, to generate plans, and to discuss their own and their siblings’ emotions than were control group children. Younger mediation group children were specifically empowered, as both they and their older siblings were more likely to discuss the younger children's interests and emotions and to resolve issues so that younger siblings’ goals were achieved. Practice or Policy: Our results replicate and strengthen previous findings of the benefits of conflict mediation for children's conflict resolution abilities.
... There are, however, several studies that have provided indirect evidence for the importance of these constructs in the resolution of sibling disputes. First, intervention studies where parents were trained to use sibling conflict mediation techniques where children hold the decision-making power (thereby supporting the children's autonomy) and psychologically controlling strategies (e.g., blaming children for past transgressions) are avoided, have been found to increase constructive sibling conflict resolution including for instance compromises and less negativity (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). In another study, it was shown that such adaptive parental intervention during sibling conflict (i.e., giving advice and explaining the sibling's feelings to the child) related positively to warmth experienced between siblings (Milevsky, Schlechter, & Machlev, 2011). ...
... On a theoretical level, this study adds to the research on the effects of parental autonomy support and psychological control by providing evidence for the importance of these constructs within a specific domain (i.e., sibling conflict). By doing so, the conceptual overlap between SDT's perspective on parenting and the parental mediation techniques studied within the research on sibling conflict (e.g., Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007) was also apparent. Specifically, the three key components of successful parenting within SDT referring to autonomy support, involvement, and structure also play a crucial role in mediation. ...
... Specifically, the three key components of successful parenting within SDT referring to autonomy support, involvement, and structure also play a crucial role in mediation. To illustrate, within mediation parents encourage siblings to propose solutions and choose one from among these (i.e., autonomy support), stimulate and show empathy and understanding (i.e., involvement), and set ground rules and behavioural guidelines (i.e., structure) (Ross & Lazinski, 2014). SDT could, therefore, provide a theoretical framework for understanding the effects of such parental mediation. ...
This study aimed to examine whether parents' autonomy support and psychological control during sibling conflict would relate to children's need-based experiences and relationship functioning within the sibling relationship. Two siblings (M age = 8.61 years, SD = 0.91 and M age = 10.50 years, SD = 0.94) of 205 families filled out questionnaires. Results showed that parental autonomy support related positively to siblings' relationship satisfaction via children's need satisfaction. Additionally, fathers' psychological control related negatively to provided autonomy support and positively to provided psychological control from one sibling to the other (as reported by the other sibling) and negatively to satisfaction with this relationship via need frustration. These findings highlight the importance of the quality of parents' involvement during sibling conflict. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Parents' autonomy support and psychological control impacts children's development; However, research on the role of autonomy-supportive and psychologically controlling parenting during sibling conflict is limited; What does this study add? Parents' autonomy support fostered siblings' relationship satisfaction via need satisfaction; Fathers' psychological control was associated with a lower quality of sibling interaction.
... Although significant, these family structure variables may, however, be less central in predicting sibling relationships than the role of parents (Dunn, 1983). Researchers have documented that the way parents react to their children's disputes, fights, and arguments can influence the quality of their sibling interactions (see, e.g., McHale, Updegraff, Tucker, & Crouter, 2000;Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Tucker & Kazura, 2013). As sibling negative interactions are one of the first contexts in which children are exposed to conflict management (Dunn & Munn, 1985), parents can provide a foundation for learning family rules and developing effective conflict resolution strategies (Kramer, Perozynski, & Chung, 1999;McHale et al., 2000;Milevsky, Schlechter, & Machlev, 2011). ...
... Early researchers had argued that parents should not be involved in their children's conflicts, in order to give them the opportunity to learn the necessary conflict resolution skills on their own (Driekurs, 1964;Felson & Russo, 1988). More recently, researchers rather argued that by staying out of their children's conflicts, parents are missing an opportunity to provide structure and guidance for their social relationship development (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). In line with the latter perspective, Kramer, Perozynski, and Chung (1999) found that parental noninvolvement in children's sibling conflicts was highly associated with the occurrence of subsequent conflict. ...
... Furthermore, Ross and Lazinski (2014) and Smith and Ross (2007) argued that, to teach children constructive resolution strategies, parental interventions must be focused on problem-solving and communication (i.e., coaching strategies), rather than dictation and punishment (i.e., control strategies). Consistent with this idea, Tucker and Kazura (2013) found that child-centered strategies were linked to positive sibling relationships, whereas sanction of aggression was linked to greater conflicts in child sibling relationships. ...
Managing conflicts and aggressive behaviors between siblings is challenging for many parents, and parental responses to sibling conflict has been shown to influence the quality of children’s sibling interactions. Building on previous work on parental involvement in sibling conflict, the aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of sibling bullying perpetration and victimization during childhood and adolescence in the relationship between parental intervention styles and conflicts in young adults’ sibling relationships. A sample of 302 individuals aged 17–33 years participated in the study. Results of structural equation modeling confirmed the proposed mediation model of young adults’ sibling conflicts. More precisely, parental control and parental noninvolvement were positively associated with experiences of sibling bullying perpetration and victimization, whereas parental coaching was associated with lower reports of sibling victimization. Involvement in sibling bullying during childhood and adolescence was, for its part, associated with sibling conflicts in young adulthood. Results of the current study confirmed that parenting intervention styles can influence children’s involvement in sibling bullying, which in turn, can predict conflicts in adult sibling relationships. In line with the family system theory, these results underline that parents can inadvertently play a role in the development of dysfunctional sibling relationships.
... One study (Linares et al., 2015) evaluated an integrative approach with elements of both behavior management (e.g., time-out for aggressive interactions) and mediation (e.g., identify the problem and try to find a solution for non-aggressive interactions). Studies evaluating MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN J FAM PSYCHOL 17 Nov 2020 9 mediation came from the same research group (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Siddiqui & Ross, 2004;Smith & Ross, 2007) and were more similar in terms of intervention characteristics (one or two individual sessions with instructions and role-play) and outcomes (mainly sibling communication techniques), as well as being more prevention oriented, targeting the general population. Studies evaluating behavior management came from different research groups (Adams & Kelley, 1992;Pickering, 2016;Tiedemann & Johnston, 1992;Vickerman, Reed, & Roberts, 1997), varied more in terms of intervention characteristics (one to five sessions, group discussions versus individual sessions with instructions) and outcomes (e.g., sharing versus aggression), and were more treatment oriented, targeting parents concerned about children's interactions (Tiedemann & Johnston, 1992) or with identified interaction problems (Vickerman et al, 1997). ...
... Five studies (63%) reported on families' ethnic background or race, ranging from a few (Smith & Ross, 2007) to over half of the families (Linares et al., 2015) being from a minority. Where percentages of single or divorced parents were reported, the majority of parents was married (e.g., Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). One study (Pickering, 2016) reported 8% were step-families. ...
Sibling relationships have a profound and lasting impact on children's development and parents often seek for ways to optimize them. Programs to guide parents in efforts to improve sibling interactions draw from different perspectives (mainly behavior management and mediation) and advise the use of different techniques (mainly direct children's behavior using reinforcement practices or maintain impartiality and facilitate communication). We systematically searched PsycINFO and MEDLINE for randomized evaluations of parenting programs to improve sibling interactions, to estimate their effects on sibling interactions, and identified eight studies (136 effect sizes): four evaluations of behavior management, three evaluations of mediation; and one evaluation of behavior management combined with mediation. The overall effect of the programs on sibling interactions was substantial (d = 0.85, 95% [CI 0.27, 1.43]). Subgroup analyses of more specific outcomes (i.e., positive versus negative interactions, and communication skills, problem-solving skills, and aggression) suggested substantial but imprecisely estimated and heterogeneous effects. Evidence for the superiority of either approach (behavior management or mediation) was unsystematic. Our findings indicate that the parenting program literature for sibling interactions is relatively immature in terms of the number, size, and robustness of studies-substantially lagging behind that of other family interventions. Available studies suggest promising effects, but their small numbers and ample heterogeneity result in imprecise estimations. We call for a more systematic body of evidence to understand the promise and boundary effects of the various parenting program approaches for improving sibling interactions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
... One study (Linares et al., 2015) evaluated an integrative approach with elements of both behavior management (e.g., time-out for aggressive interactions) and mediation (e.g., identify the problem and try to find a solution for non-aggressive interactions). Studies evaluating MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN J FAM PSYCHOL 17 Nov 2020 9 mediation came from the same research group (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Siddiqui & Ross, 2004;Smith & Ross, 2007) and were more similar in terms of intervention characteristics (one or two individual sessions with instructions and role-play) and outcomes (mainly sibling communication techniques), as well as being more prevention oriented, targeting the general population. Studies evaluating behavior management came from different research groups (Adams & Kelley, 1992;Pickering, 2016;Tiedemann & Johnston, 1992;Vickerman, Reed, & Roberts, 1997), varied more in terms of intervention characteristics (one to five sessions, group discussions versus individual sessions with instructions) and outcomes (e.g., sharing versus aggression), and were more treatment oriented, targeting parents concerned about children's interactions (Tiedemann & Johnston, 1992) or with identified interaction problems (Vickerman et al, 1997). ...
... Five studies (63%) reported on families' ethnic background or race, ranging from a few (Smith & Ross, 2007) to over half of the families (Linares et al., 2015) being from a minority. Where percentages of single or divorced parents were reported, the majority of parents was married (e.g., Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). One study (Pickering, 2016) reported 8% were step-families. ...
Many established parenting programs for children's conduct problems are delivered in groups. Various, and at times conflicting, beliefs exist about whether families fare better in groups with parents that are more similar to them, or in groups that are more diverse. We set out to test these beliefs empirically. We integrated data from four trials of the Incredible Years parenting program in the Netherlands, including 452 families (children age 2-10 years) participating in 44 parenting groups. We used multilevel regression to test whether families benefit more (or less) when they participate in a group with parents that are more similar to them in terms of ethnic background, educational level, and children's baseline conduct problems, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and emotional problems. In addition, we tested whether relative group position effects were stronger for some families than for others (e.g., whether especially ethnic minority families benefit from groups that are more ethnically diverse). Families with more severe conduct problems benefited more, but they did not fare better (or worse) in groups where other families were more similar to them. Regarding the other group characteristics, families' relative group position did not predict parenting program effects on children's conduct problems. Our findings held across families with different sociodemographic backgrounds and different levels of children's ADHD symptoms and emotional problems. We found no evidence that parenting group composition impacts the effectiveness of the Incredible Years parenting program for children's conduct problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
... One type of intervention trains parents to mediate sibling conflict (Ross and Lazinski, 2014;Siddiqui and Ross, 2004;Smith and Ross, 2007). Mediation is a structured process where parents act as neutral third parties and help to facilitate constructive resolutions via negotiation or compromise between their children (Black and Baumgartner, 1983;Johnson et al., 1995). ...
... Overall, the goal of mediation is to encourage children to understand their sibling's emotions, perspectives, and goals during a recent conflict and then to work together to find a reasonable solution that would satisfy both parties. Intervention studies involving mediation training for parents provide concrete support for the notion that constructive parental interventions have several positive outcomes on siblings' conflict resolution strategies (Siddiqui and Ross, 2004;Smith and Ross, 2007;Ross and Lazinski, 2014). Siblings exposed to mediation talk more about emotions, are less negative during conflict negotiations, and have a better understanding of their sibling's perspective. ...
... One useful marker may be the type of conflicts in which siblings engage. Constructive conflicts, which focus on a specific issue, are often less affectively intense, and more likely to be resolved to satisfy both siblings (Deutsch, 1977); these conflicts are an important context for the development of social skills, as they help children learn to assert their rights and justify their actions appropriately, while responding to others' needs (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). Destructive conflicts, on the other hand, spread to involve multiple issues and high levels of negative affect, and tend to escalate to coercion, yielding either an outcome with a clear winner and loser or a lack of resolution (Howe, Rinaldi, Jennings, & Petrakos, 2002). ...
... Observers also rated sibling conflict negotiations in the mediation group to be less negative than in the control group. Siddiqui and Ross (2004) reported that children whose parents were trained in mediation spent more time talking about emotions during conflict negotiation (see also Ross and Lazinski (2014)). Mediation was beneficial for both older and younger siblings, although in different ways; whereas older siblings became increasingly other-oriented in their negotiations (e.g., by discussing their sibling's goals and interests), younger siblings were empowered to participate more fully in negotiations (e.g., initiating more resolutions). ...
... Further, some research has have moved beyond a focus on dyadic parent-child relationships to study parenting of the sibling dyad. Results from an experimental intervention, for example, showed that parents shape their children's social problem solving behaviors around sibling conflict (Ross and Lazinski 2014). Social learning processes also may come into play in findings that authoritarian parenting (threats, physical punishment) in response to sibling conflicts is linked to more conflict and less warmth among typically developing siblings (McHale et al. 2000). ...
... In middle childhood, a parental ''coaching involvement'' style was associated with more positive sibling relationships (Milevsky et al. 2011). And as noted, intervention studies by Ross and colleagues documented that parents can learn to be mediators of sibling conflict: Compared to control group children, middle childhood-aged siblings whose parents participated in sibling conflict mediation training were more likely to ask one another about their feelings and develop plans to resolve conflicts, and conflict resolutions were more likely to take younger siblings' perspectives into account (Ross and Lazinski 2014). ...
A burgeoning research literature investigates the sibling relationships of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their implications for individual adjustment. Focusing on four relationship domains-behaviors, emotions, cognitions and involvement-and toward advancing this generally atheoretical literature, we review and apply tenets from a range of theoretical perspectives in an effort to illuminate the mechanisms underlying sibling relationship experiences and their adjustment implications. Our review suggests new directions for research to test theoretically-grounded hypotheses about how sibling relationships develop and are linked to individual adjustment. In addition, we consider how identifying underlying bio-psycho-social processes can aid in the development of interventions to promote warm and involved sibling relationships and positive youth development.
... One useful marker may be the type of conflicts in which siblings engage. Constructive conflicts, which focus on a specific issue, are often less affectively intense, and more likely to be resolved to satisfy both siblings (Deutsch, 1977); these conflicts are an important context for the development of social skills, as they help children learn to assert their rights and justify their actions appropriately, while responding to others' needs (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Smith & Ross, 2007). Destructive conflicts, on the other hand, spread to involve multiple issues and high levels of negative affect, and tend to escalate to coercion, yielding either an outcome with a clear winner and loser or a lack of resolution (Howe, Rinaldi, Jennings, & Petrakos, 2002). ...
... Observers also rated sibling conflict negotiations in the mediation group to be less negative than in the control group. Siddiqui and Ross (2004) reported that children whose parents were trained in mediation spent more time talking about emotions during conflict negotiation (see also Ross and Lazinski (2014)). Mediation was beneficial for both older and younger siblings, although in different ways; whereas older siblings became increasingly other-oriented in their negotiations (e.g., by discussing their sibling's goals and interests), younger siblings were empowered to participate more fully in negotiations (e.g., initiating more resolutions). ...
... While parents may be reticent to acknowledge the seriousness of sibling aggression, they do want assistance with managing aggressive sibling dynamics (Pickering & Sanders, 2017). For those children and adolescents currently experiencing sibling victimization, prevention and intervention work focused on creating constructive conflict between siblings through mediation techniques (Ross & Lazinski, 2014) and positive parental coaching in relationship skills during siblings' conflict interactions (Tucker & Kazura, 2013;Updegraff et al., 2016) is essential for reducing and/or eliminating it (Leijten et al., 2021;Tucker & Finkelhor, 2017). When sibling victimization happens, encouraging receipt of social support from family and friends also has been shown to lessen the relationship between sibling victimization and mental health (Tucker et al., 2020a). ...
... The findings provide partial support for previous research that has demonstrated a parenting program can improve sibling relationship functioning (Feinberg et al., 2013;Ross & Lazinski, 2014). Like Feinberg et al. (2013), we detected a significant improvement only in prosocial sibling behaviors, and not in levels of sibling conflict following the program. ...
Although parents of siblings play a crucial role in the development of both the positive and negative aspects of their children’s relationships, relatively few parenting programs specifically target sibling conflict alongside sibling warmth. To bridge this gap, the current study reports the outcomes of a randomized controlled trial evaluating a brief parenting intervention focusing on improving sibling relationships. A total of 74 parents reporting concerns about sibling conflict were randomized to either the Triple P brief discussion group intervention condition (n = 37) or the waitlist control condition (n = 37). Parents were predominately Caucasian, female, from a middle-income background. Parents completed a range of self-report measures examining the quality of the sibling relationship, parenting practices, family functioning, and child emotional and behavioral problems. Across treatment groups, participants showed improvements on almost all measures of sibling conflict, sibling warmth, child emotional and behavioral problems, parenting practices, and parenting confidence. Participants in the treatment group also experienced a greater reduction in the amount of help they wanted to manage sibling warmth, relative to participants in the control group. These results suggest that a low-intensity parenting intervention may only have a small effect on improving sibling relationships. Additional research is needed to determine how to broaden program efficacy for sibling conflict and parental adjustment, for families from diverse levels of income and family composition. Trial registration: ANZCTR 365567.
... Anak yang memiliki ketrampilan dalam menyelesaikan masalah, maka akan lebih mudah mengontrol dirinya dan menyelesaikan masalah secara mandiri. Ross & Lazinski (2014) menyampaikan bahwa intervensi dari orang tua saat anak mengalami konflik, perlu memberikan model resolusi konflik yang positif, serta menunjukkan cara agar anak berdaya untuk secara konstruktif menyelesaikan konflik mereka sendiri. Salah satu contohnya dengan melibatkan negosiasi persuasif. ...
Pelatihan Pendampingan Konflik pada Anak dilakukan di Kampung Tambak Mulyo yang merupakan Daerah dampingan Lembaga Pendamping Usaha Buruh Tani dan Nelayan Keuskupan Agung Semarang (LPUBTN-KAS). Pelatihan ini diberikan untuk orangtua di Kampung Tambak Mulyo yang memiliki anak berusia 2 sampai dengan 12 tahun. Pelatihan ini bertujuan memberikan pengetahuan kepada para orang tua agar dapat mendampingi anak yang sedang mengalami konflik. Pelatihan dilakukan secara luring dengan peserta berjumlah 22 orang ibu-ibu. Pelatihan dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode psikoedukasi, diskusi kelompok dan role playing. Pelatihan ini dilakukan selama dua kali pertemuan dan diantara dua kali pertemuan tersebut ada tugas yang perlu dilakukan oleh peserta pelatihan, yaitu menerapkan cara-cara yang diberikan dalam materi pelatihan pada pertemuan pertama untuk didiskusikan dalam pertemuan pada pertemuan berikutnya. Secara keseluruhan diperoleh hasil bahwa peserta mendapatkan manfaat dari pelatihan
... Research on parental strategies for addressing sibling conflict has focused predominantly on European American children and families. These studies indicate that mothers tend to address sibling arguments by urging children to use cognitive strategies such as perspective-taking, self-examination, and creative problem-solving that generates solutions that are satisfactory for both parties (Scirocco et al., 2018;Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Tucker & Kazura, 2013). Familistic values such as obligation to love and care for siblings because they are family members are absent from mothers' directives in these samples. ...
The current study focused on familism-related content that emerged in a primarily qualitative analysis of U.S. Mexican mother-child conversations about sibling conflicts ( M age = 10.55; English = 43 (24 female); Spanish = 43 (19 female)). The study’s goals were to (1) describe how familism, a central Latinx value, is conveyed to children in late middle childhood, (2) uncover signs that children at this age actively or passively accept or reject mothers’ observations and expectations, and (3) determine if there are differences in conversation content based on language preference, child gender, or birth order. During discussions about sibling conflict, mothers’ and children’s comments revolved around four pillars of familism: establishing and maintaining harmony and devotion, recognizing the specialness of family ties (in this case sibling ties), accepting role obligations, and developing other-orientation. These values were expressed more implicitly than explicitly by a majority of the dyads. Most children accepted at least some of mothers’ statements, but resistance was also high. Chi-square tests indicated no gender-of-child or birth order differences in the content of the discussions, but dyads who spoke Spanish during the conversations were more likely than those who spoke English to speak in explicit familistic terms and to point to the specialness of the sibling tie. Our study is strengths-based as we demonstrate that in U.S. Mexican families, children’s conflicts with their siblings may serve as catalysts for “teaching moments” during which parents impart culturally relevant values.
... In several studies parents were trained to mediate their children's disputes, with the result that children more often discussed emotions and one another's perspectives, in comparison to others whose parents did not receive mediation training and intervened as usual in their fights with siblings (Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Siddiqui & Ross, 2004;Smith & Ross, 2007). The changes in children's behavior during mediated conflicts impacted their social understanding. ...
This chapter focuses on sibling relations in early and middle childhood, but children are acutely aware of their younger sibling from their birth, and early interaction patterns influence later development. Relationships theory posits that children's development occurs in the context of intimate and close relationships, such as with parents and siblings. Children's sibling relationships are an important influence on their developmental outcomes and a context for developing understanding of the social world. The chapter discusses features of different sibling interactions associated with individual differences in social understanding and relationship quality: teaching, play and prosocial behavior, and conflict and aggression. Prominent developmental theories (e.g., social learning, attachment) suggest that children's interactions with close family members influence their patterns of behavior, social skills, and models of relationships. Siblings play an important role in one another's development in the early years. The sibling relationship is a natural laboratory for learning about the social world.
... Conversely, sibling conflict and low sibling warmth increase the risk of externalizing and internalizing problems (Ingram et al., 2020). The way parents interact with their children significantly predicts the quality of the sibling interactions (Ross & Lazinski, 2014). Parents also influence children's acceptance and social competence with peers through direct-instruction and provision of opportunities (McDowell & Parke, 2009). ...
Objective:
Developing an effective population-level system of evidence-based parenting support capable of shifting (at a population level) rates of child maltreatment and social, emotional, and behavioral problems in children requires an integrated theory of change. This paper presents a systems-contextual model of change and identifies modifiable mechanisms that can potentially explain population-level changes in parenting and child outcomes.
Method:
Using the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program as an exemplar of a tiered, multi-level system of evidence-based parenting interventions, we discuss the putative mechanisms of change necessary to produce change in child behavior, parenting, practitioner behavior, and organizational changes to support the sustained implementation of an intervention.
Results:
A model of change is proposed that blends theoretical perspectives derived from social learning theory, self-regulation theory, applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavior principles, developmental theory, and principles derived from the fields of public health, implementation science, and economics to explain change in the behavior at the community wide level. Different types of interventions targeting different populations and mechanisms are used to illustrate how sustainable change in child and parent outcomes can be achieved.
Conclusions:
Evidence supporting specific mechanisms and moderators of intervention effects are discussed as well as directions for future research on mechanisms.
... Few studies have investigated the role of parents in sibling bullying. First and foremost, results showed that the way parents respond to their children's fights has the potential to influence the quality of sibling relationships (see e.g., McHale et al., 2000;Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Tucker & Kazura, 2013). Accordingly, an intrusive parental style during conflicts between siblings has been associated with higher levels of negativity in adolescent sibling relationships (McHale et al., 2000). ...
In this study, we tested a full structural model in which past involvement in sibling bullying mediates the relationships between, on the one hand, an intrusive parental style during conflicts between siblings and, on the other hand, current individual and family outcomes. The model under study is grounded in the coercion theory and the family system theory. A sample of 200 young adults, and their mothers, took part in the study. Results of structural equation modeling with four latent variables fit well the data. As hypothesized, an intrusive parental style during conflicts between siblings was related to higher levels of sibling bullying (including both perpetration and victimization) in childhood. Furthermore, young adults who were involved in sibling bullying as a child were now displaying less positive social problem-solving behaviors. Finally, past experiences of sibling bullying were related to current unkindness in the family.
... Since then, the term 'mediator' has been adapted and used in different contexts, always with the consistent attribute of 'a person acting as intermediary'. Perhaps one of the most recognized concepts associated with mediation is conflict resolution, a notion that is present in many studies in different fields: school (Ay, Keskin & Akilli, 2019;Bienstock, 2019;Johnson & Johnson, 1996;), health (Dauer & Marcus, 1997;Sybblis, 2006), penal (Pelikan, 2004;Von Tangen Page, 2000), community (Harrington & Merry, 1988;Tan, 2017), family (Beck & Sales, 2001;Ross & Lazinski, 2014;Taylor, 2002) and international relationships (Bercovitch, 1996;Bercovitch & Rubin, 1992;Bercovitch, Anagnoson & Wille, 1991). However, mediation is not only associated with conflict. ...
After the publication of the CEFR Companion Volume in 2018, a revision of the curriculum in force for the English subject in the Bilingual Sections in the Community of Madrid has been implemented. One of the main changes is the inclusion of the concept of linguistic mediation in the subject ‘Advanced English’ in the last stage of secondary education. In an attempt to understand how linguistic mediation strategies and activities are being developed in real classroom contexts, this study has focused on teachers’ perceptions of linguistic mediation. A questionnaire and a focus group were used to examine teachers’ understanding and awareness of linguistic mediation, as well as the type of mediation activities that are relevant for their students and the extent to which they include linguistic mediation activities and strategies in their lessons. Additionally, the study has shown some of the deficiencies that exist in the way linguistic mediation is currently being addressed in the classroom, as well as teachers’ needs in order to better implement it.
... Een goede omgang met emoties is van groot belang in conflictbemiddeling (Verloo 2015), niet alleen in publieke situaties, maar bijvoorbeeld ook bij conflicten in de familiekring (bv. Ross en Lazinski 2014 Toch is de 'omgang met emoties' niet alleen de verdienste van de procesbegeleider. In hoofdstuk 5 werd al verwezen naar het werk van de Amerikaanse sociologe Arlie Hochschild. ...
Lokale plannen voor opwekking van duurzame energie en voor duurzaam natuurbeheer vormen nogal eens aanleiding voor conflicten met en tussen bewoners. Die plannen botsen vaak met andere plannen, zoals woningbouw en het aantrekkelijk houden van het landschap. Het SCP onderzocht in Barstjes in de lokale gemeenschap. Conflicten over verduurzamingsplannen in de leefomgeving drie lokale conflicten tussen groepen burgers met verschillende opvattingen. Dit om inzicht te krijgen in de werking van lokale conflicten en hoe hier mee om te gaan. Deze conflicten ontstonden over de aanleg van een heideverbinding in het Goois Natuur Reservaat, de bouw van een zonnepanelenpark in Finsterwolde en het vrijhouden van ruimte voor een energielandschap in de polder Rijnenburg en Reijerscop bij Utrecht.
... PSYCHOLOGIA WYCHOWAWCZA NR 17/2020, 111-128 Scientific interest in the problem of sibling conflict in childhood has its roots in educational and nurturance practice. Some sources suggest that the conflict is usually ended by direct or indirect parental intervention (Ross & Lazinski, 2014). However, it is important to note that the type of reaction by the parent may have varied short-and long-lasting consequences. ...
The aim of the paper is to review recent literature and introduce a systemic approach to the nature of sibling relationships during the first years of life. A growing body of evidence suggests that siblings play considerable roles in each other’s development, and that the quality and the character of the sibling bond may have far-reaching effects. The present review elucidates the interactions between subsystems, particularly the functioning of the sibling subsystem; it also considers influences from other internal and external factors. It discusses siblinghood between children with regard to three main domains: warmth and support, rivalry and jealousy, and conflict. The final part of the article suggests some implications considering the influence of child siblinghood on adolescent and adult life.
... Saat anak menyelesaikan konflik dengan strategi konstruktif, maka dapat dikatakan bahwa konflik bersifat konstruktif. Konflik yang konstruktif ini ditandai dengan intensitas emosi yang rendah, diselesaikan melalui negosiasi, serta dapat meningkatkan kualitas relasi anak dengan saudaranya (Deutsch, dkk., 2006;Ross & Lazinski, 2014). Pengetahuan tentang konflik-konflik konstruktif inilah yang akan membantu orangtua dan orang-orang di sekitar anak dalam membimbing sibling conflict ke arah yang lebih positif (Tucker & Finkelhor, 2015). ...
Sibling conflict has some influences on children’s development, positively and negatively. It is not only about the frequency, but also about the strategies used in managing conflict. The main purpose of this study was to adapt and to validate Sibling Conflict Strategy Scale developed by Recchia (2009), so it can be used by parents in Indonesia to identify their children’s strategies. The process of adaptation was guided by the International Testing Commission (ITC) Guidelines model for test adaptation, which include forward – backward translation processes, followed by expert reviews to test language and conceptual equivalence. Then, we conducted the validation process by testing the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Two hundred and six parents in Surabaya who have children in the age range of 52-87 months (M = 71.21) were participated in the pilot study. The result showed that each indicator, dimension, and construct met all the Goodness of Fit criteria (RMSEA < .08; CFI > .9). In addition, the value of Construct Reliability (CR) > .70 and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) > .50 were also obtained. Thus, the Sibling Conflict Strategy Scale can be used as a valid and reliable measurement to measure children’s sibling conflict strategies in Indonesia.
... Sibling aggression, even in emerging adulthood, should not be overlooked or viewed as benign. Unfortunately, researchers and the public have paid limited attention to sibling aggression (Tucker & Kazura, 2013), but increasingly consistent evidence suggests it is important to continue to develop prevention and intervention strategies to create constructive sibling conflict characterized by negotiation, reasoning, and perspective taking (see Ross & Lazinski, 2014) to limit the negative impact of sibling aggression on sibling relationship quality. ...
This study examined how emerging adults' perpetration of aggression toward a sibling closest in age was longitudinally associated with their sibling relationship quality. Emerging adults (N = 143; Mage = 19.62; 70% female) completed surveys online or by mail at two time points, 4 years apart. Of emerging adults, 25% perpetrated aggression against their closest‐in‐age sibling. Perpetration of sibling aggression was predictive 4 years later of less sibling warmth, involvement, and emotional help. None of the interactions with gender and sibling gender was significant. This study's findings demonstrate the importance of examining the consequences of perpetration of aggressive behavior toward a sibling for sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood.
... For TD sibling dyads, parent involvement in and mediation of sibling conflicts is associated with improved sibling behavior [e.g. 26,27 ] For families of individuals with ASD, parental support predicts more positive sibling relationships. 28 There have been a number of suggestions, going back to some of the earliest studies of sibling interventions when one sibling has ASD, that interventions with TD siblings should focus on the entire family system and include parents [e.g. ...
Background: Typically developing (TD) siblings are an important part of the family system, but may show strained relationships in families of children with ASD.
Objective: We augmented a sibling support group with parent-sibling training in which parents learned (through instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback) how to prompt and reinforce prosocial behaviors in their TD children.
Method: We examined the effects of parent-sibling training on parent and TD sibling behaviors in a multiple baseline across families design.
Results: Parent prompting and reinforcement of TD sibling prosocial behaviors increase. TD sibling prosocial behaviors such as sharing with and talking to their sibling with ASD also increased. Broader measures of the sibling relationship showed some improvements.
Conclusion: Findings suggest ways to support families of children with ASD with future investigations of parent-sibling training examining longer intervention, all family members’ adjustment and relationships, and sibling characteristics that influence response to parent-sibling training.
... The connection between sibling and peer victimization should not be dismissed, and may be an important factor for the reduction of peer victimization in childhood and adolescence. Because sibling victimization sets the stage for peer victimization, it is crucial to create constructive conflict between siblings through mediation techniques (Ross and Lazinski 2014) and, when children are young, positive parental coaching in relationship skills during siblings' conflict interactions (Tucker and Kazura 2013). These techniques may also lower sibling aggression and bullying, as many siblings who are victims are also perpetrators of this behavior . ...
We document four patterns of sibling victimization (Persist, New, Desist, and None) across two time points and their association with peer victimization at time two and whether these linkages are apparent in early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. A telephone survey (N = 1653) was conducted with a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents with children (age 3–9) and adolescents (age 10 to 17). The four patterns differed by age, gender, ethnicity and parent education levels but not family structure. The Persist, New and Desist sibling victimization patterns were associated with a greater likelihood of peer victimization. Sibling victimization patterns were unrelated to peer victimization in early childhood but predictive of peer victimization in middle childhood and adolescence. Findings showed that sibling victimization leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to peer victimization. Children and adolescents who experienced chronic sibling victimization (Persist group) were particularly vulnerable to peer victimization. Eliminating sibling victimization could reduce peer victimization in middle childhood and adolescence.
... Learning to share with siblings may provide a model for prosocial behavior with other children: for example, three-yearolds' frequency of sharing with an older sibling has been shown to predict frequencies of sharing with unfamiliar same-sex peers at age six [27 ]. Sibling influences can also be indirect and mediated by parental intervention and transmission of values regarding conflict resolution, such that playing with a sibling may facilitate prosocial behavior by providing parents with frequent opportunities to scaffold children's learning of social norms [5,[28][29][30]. Parental mediation is particularly powerful for siblings, as parents serve as authority figures for both partners in conflict, and parental sensitivity and parent-child relationship quality are associated with increased prosocial behavior in toddlers [31][32][33]. ...
Sibling relationships are characterized by familiarity and emotional intensity. Alongside frequent shared play, sibling interactions feature complementary interactions (e.g. teaching, caregiving) reflecting age-related asymmetries in socio-cognitive skills. These aspects may underpin sibling influences on prosocial behavior: theoretical accounts of social influences on prosocial behavior highlight emotion sharing, goal alignment, the intrinsically rewarding nature of social interaction, and scaffolding of social norms. Taking a fine-grained approach to prosocial behavior, we examine these processes in relation to sibling influences on children's comforting, sharing, and helping. Emergent themes include: developmental change in the nature of sibling influences on prosocial behavior, the need to consider sibling influences in the wider family context, and the importance of individual differences in the quality of sibling relationships.
Sibling aggression is a common occurrence in families, and more common than child maltreatment. Often sibling aggression is considered a normative experience and is equated to rivalry, but it is not, and it can take the form of bullying. There is a small but growing literature on sibling victimization that shows its detrimental effects on children. This entry explores why sibling victimization happens and makes distinctions between constructive and destructive sibling conflict. The links between sibling victimization and mental health and peer victimization are described, and possible differences in norms regarding siblings' aggressive interactions by ethnicity are noted.
Purpose: The study sought to analyze the impact of mediation on conflict resolution in Sudan Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The results show that mediation can be a valuable tool for resolving conflicts, as it offers the parties involved greater control over the outcome of the dispute and can often bring about a peaceful resolution in a shorter period of time. Mediation has had a positive impact on conflict resolution in Sudan. It has enabled the parties involved in the conflict to engage in dialogue and reach mutually acceptable solutions, while also promoting compromise and cooperation. The agreements reached through mediation have provided a basis for the implementation of the CPA and have helped to address some of the underlying causes of the conflict. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practices and Policies: The principled negotiation theory and transformational theory may be used to anchor future studies in the conflict management sector. The study results will also benefit other stakeholders such as the policy makers as well as researchers and scholars from different parts of the world. The top management of conflict management sector in the country will also use the study findings to improve conflict resolution strategies in all their activities and programs. The study recommends that the adoption of effective mediation policies in the leadership conflict management sector will help to improve efficiency in their major operations and activities.
Links between parental marital conflict and children's sibling conflict have been well examined; however, the underlying mechanism of this link needs to be further studied. This study investigated the mediating role of parental intervention styles (i.e. child-centered strategies, control strategies, and nonintervention strategies) and children's control behavior toward their sibling between parental marital conflict and children's sibling conflict. We recruited 689 Chinese children (53.7% girls) aged 8-13 years to participate in the study. Results indicated that parental marital conflict, control strategies, nonintervention strategies, and children's control behavior toward sibling were positively associated with sibling conflict among children. Child-centered strategies were negatively correlated with children's sibling conflict. Furthermore, control and nonintervention strategies of parents and control behavior of children toward sibling simultaneously partially mediated between parental marital and child-sibling conflict. The mediating role of child-centered strategies was not significant. These findings suggest that parental strategies of control and nonintervention and children's control behavior toward their sibling may increase the risk of sibling conflict among children after repeated exposure to parental marital conflict. In contrast, child-centered strategies may be a protective factor for children regarding sibling conflict. Current findings confirm the combined effects of parent and child behavior on child-sibling conflict. They also help parents deal with sibling conflict among their children and promote more positive relationships among siblings.
Though it is generally acknowledged that parents are directly implicated in how and what their children learn about right and wrong, little is known about how the process of moral socialization proceeds in the context of family life, and how it gets played out in actual parent-child conversations. This volume brings together psychological research conducted in different countries documenting how parents and their children of different ages talk about everyday issues that bear on right and wrong. More than 150 excerpts from real parent-child conversations about children's own good and bad behaviors and about broader ethical concerns that interest both parents and children, such as global warming or gender equality, provide a unique window into the moral-socialization process in action. Talking about Right and Wrong also underscores distinct psychological and sociocultural processes that explain how such everyday conversations may further, or hinder, children's moral development.
Though a limited amount of literature has examined the family literacy practices of students with refugee backgrounds in the United States, little research has focused on play and conversations of Burmese siblings with refugee backgrounds. Drawing upon theoretical perspectives from new literacy studies, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and Gregory’s concept of synergy, this qualitative study explores siblings’ social literacy practices and their conversations within these literacy practices. The data analysis revealed three types of literacy practices: digital literacy practices, religious literacy practices, and home-school literacy practices. The siblings’ conversations clearly demonstrated all three practices, which highlighted the children’s multiple identities as siblings and trilingual speakers, skillful at articulating their thoughts, taking the lead, playing out roles based on their experiences, and making meaning together. Further, the conversations supported both siblings’ literacy learning. Implications include the importance of expanding the understanding of siblings’ home literacy and continuing research on children with refugee backgrounds.
Sibling relationships are the most enduring relationships in our lives. We share our family genes, our family names and heritage, and large parts of our life histories with our siblings—especially our childhoods. We are in each other’s stories of good times and challenges. We share and fight for our parents’ love and attention, compete for praise, glory, and achievement, and help one another to weather tough times. This chapter discusses how sibling relationships impact the different stages of our lives, explains the intricate positives and negatives of sibling rivalry and the significance of sibling support in different family contexts, and how parents can influence the quality of sibling relationships. It will help readers to acknowledge and manage their feelings about their relationships with their siblings, and develop increased EI so that they can enhance, rebuild, and consolidate supportive relationships with them.
In diesem Kapitel betrachten wir viele entwicklungsrelevante Aspekte familiärer Interaktionen. Wir beginnen mit einer Untersuchung über den möglichen Einfluss von sozialen Veränderungen in den letzten Jahrzehnten in den Vereinigten Staaten auf das Funktionieren von Familie und die Entwicklung der Kinder – vom Alter der ersten Elternschaft bis zu einem erhöhten Anteil an Scheidungen, Wiederverheiratungen und mütterlicher Berufstätigkeit. Neben der Familiendynamik wird auch das Thema Kindesmisshandlung mit seinen Risikofaktoren und den Folgen aufgegriffen. Weiterhin werden wir uns damit befassen, wie sich Armut, Kultur und ähnliche Faktoren auf die Entwicklung auswirken können.
This study explored how maternal involvement in sibling relationships and coparenting behaviors were associated with adolescents' sibling conflicts. Adolescents (Mage = 12.25 years; 47.8% boys) and their mothers from 542 families in China participated in this research. Mothers completed questionnaires that assessed their strategies of involvement in sibling relationships, as well as their perceptions of the quality of their coparenting behaviors. Furthermore, adolescents completed questionnaires that assessed sibling conflicts. Results revealed that the mother's positive guidance was negatively related and their authoritarian control was positively related to sibling conflict. A significant interaction was also found between positive maternal guidance in sibling relationships and undermining coparenting behaviors. These findings underscore the unique and interactive effects of mothers' direct involvement in sibling relationships and coparenting behaviors in adolescents' sibling conflicts.
Parents play a crucial role in the development of their children's relationships with their siblings. Despite this, relatively few evidence-based parenting programs exist that specifically offer parents the strategies and techniques they desire and require for managing their children's sibling relationships. One way of bridging this gap is to design a tailored parenting intervention for sibling relationships that incorporates the parent voice in various aspects of program design. The current study recruited a convenience sample of 409 Australian parents to complete an online survey relating to their views on difficult sibling behaviors and what, if any, help they desire in dealing with the issue. The majority of respondents were Caucasian, middle- to upper-class mothers. Respondents predominantly attributed the causes of sibling conflict to their child's internal traits, but expressed strong desire for assistance with managing behavioral problems, especially when sibling relationships were marked by physical aggression. Respondents reported high levels of acceptability for positive, rather than punitive, parenting strategies and showed a clear preference for parenting interventions delivered in easy-to-access formats. The findings are interpreted in the context of guiding the development of a tailored parenting intervention for enhancing sibling relationships and reducing conflict.
© 2015 Family Process Institute.
Nadja Alexander reflects on the contribution that the Handbook’s collection of essays makes to conflict resolution theory and practice.
Sixty-four sibling dyads (4-12 years old; 61% males; 83% European-American) were asked to resolve an ongoing conflict. Older siblings provided leadership by suggesting, modifying, justifying, and requesting assent to plans for conflict resolution. Younger siblings countered and disagreed, but also contributed to planning and agreed to their siblings' plans. Compromises were associated with first offers that met both children's goals, future-oriented planning, and limited opposition. Win-loss outcomes followed offers favoring only one child and arguments over older siblings' plans. Conflicts were unresolved when negotiations included frequent accusations and opposition, but little planning. Thus mutually beneficial conflict resolution required that children shift focus from debating past wrongs to developing plans to meet their unrealized goals in future interaction.
A peer mediation program in a midwestern, suburban school was examined to determine the types of conflicts that occurred, the strategies students used to resolve their conflicts, and the types of resolutions in both school and home settings. The impact of the peer mediation program on the strategies used to manage conflicts and the resolutions of conflicts was also examined. Six classes (one combination second/third grade, one third grade, two fourth grades, and two fifth grades) containing 144 students received 9 hours of training in how to negotiate integrative agreements to their conflicts and how to mediate the conflicts of their classmates. A random sample of 83 students was selected from the untrained students in the third, fourth, and fifth grades as a control group. A peer mediation program was implemented. The role of mediator was rotated equally among all class members. Data were gathered over a 9-week period before, during, and after the peer mediation training. Seven hundred eighty-three conflicts were reported (209 at school, 574 at home). A significant difference between the types of conflict occurring in the school and in the home was found. The training had significant impact on the strategies students used and the resulting resolutions.
Sibling physical aggression and parents' and children's responses to such aggression were observed in 40 families when children were approximately 2% and 4% years of age, and two years later when they were 4% and 6%. Aggression occurred in all families, with first-born siblings being more aggressive than second-borns, and second-born siblings being more likely to cry, especially at the first time period. Parents responded to half of their children's aggression, and were more likely to respond if victims had cried. Only when parents intervened did the conflict resolution indicate to the children that physical aggression was not acceptable. Most responses by both parents and child victims were simple commands to stop aggression, and discussion of issues that gave rise to the aggression. Less frequent parent and child responses, such as physical reactions or approval of aggression by parents, and discussions of feelings or rules, or crying by first-born children were related to only the aggression of second-born siblings at Time 1. Furthermore, the only variables that predicted aggression at Time 2 were the levels of aggression that the children exhibited at Time 1, with relatively aggressive first-born children and relatively unaggressive second-born children predicting higher levels of sibling aggression two years later. Results were discussed in terms of family influences in the development of relatively aggressive or unaggressive sibling relationships over time.
The impact of parental intervention on the quality of children's conflict behavior was examined using observational data from 40 English-speaking Canadian families with 2- and 4-year-old children. Children's behavior in the portions of fights that preceded their parents' interventions was compared to their behavior in fights in which there was no intervention. Also, children's behavior before parental intervention was contrasted with their behavior after intervention. It was found that parents intervened in the most intense fights between their children, fights in which the children displayed few de-escalating strategies. Parental intervention was associated with their children using fewer power strategies coupled with an increase in the use of more sophisticated negotiation moves. It was concluded that parental intervention in sibling conflict has beneficial effects in terms of the immediate quality of the children's fighting. Results were interpreted in light of contemporary models of socialization.
Conflict is a natural and inevitable part of our personal and social lives. In this volume Morton Deutsch, the distinguished social psychologist, explores the factors that determine whether the outcome of conflict will be fruitful or destructive. He examines conflict at the intrapsychic, interpersonal, and intergroup levels and formulates meaningful cross-level generalizations about the determination of conflict resolution.
In a longitudinal study of sibling interaction, 28 pairs of same-sex siblings and 28 pairs of mixed-sex siblings were observed for 2 1-hour periods in their homes. The younger siblings averaged 38 months of age, and the age interval between siblings was either large (2.5-4 years) or small (1-2 years). The focus of the observations was on the role of the mother in sibling interaction, and mother-child interactions were observed in addition to interactions between siblings. Mothers were free to come and go, and their entrances and exits were noted and timed. There were no consistent effects of the age or sex of the children or of the interval between siblings on mother-child interaction. In addition, mothers were quite consistent in their treatment of their 2 children regardless of their age or sex. However, there was more consistency in the positive treatment of same-sex pairs than in mixed-sex pairs. Mother's presence reduced the overall level of sibling interaction, and sibling interaction tended to be relatively more agonistic when mother was present than when she was absent.
The endings of sibling conflicts were investigated in 40 families at 2 time periods. Each family included 2 children, studied when they were 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 years of age, and 2 years later, at 4 1/2and 6 1/2 years. Four types of conflict endings were observed in sibling conflicts: Compromise, Reconciliation, Submission, and No Resolution. Results indicate that at both time periods conflicts typically ended with No Resolution, followed by Submission, Compromise, and finally, Reconciliation. Submissions decreased and No Resolutions increased over the two time periods; no changes were observed in either Compromise or Reconciliation. Parents' interventions led directly to a resolution of 16% of the children's disputes (Parent Ending). In those cases, there was a greater likelihood of conflicts ending in Compromise or Reconciliation than when parents did not intervene. Conflicts in which parents intervened but the children ultimately resolved the conflicts themselves (Child Ending with Intervention) occurred 42% of the time. Such conflicts ended more often with No Resolution and less often with children's Submissions to their siblings. The implications of these findings for the development of children's conflict resolution skills and the role of parent involvement are discussed.
Previous research has shown that receiving social support in the face of negative events (i.e., enacted support) is sometimes correlated with positive outcomes, sometimes unrelated to outcomes, and sometimes associated with negative outcomes. However, people's perception that they have high-quality support available to them when they have a stressor (i.e., perceived support) is consistently and strongly associated with better health, well-being, and relationship functioning. However, both enacted and perceived support available in response to positive event disclosures are consistently associated with positive outcomes. In 2 studies, we examined why enacted support for negative events has such a spotty record and compared it with enacted support for positive events; a third study examined how support for positive events may be a major contributor to perceived availability of effective support for negative events. The results showed that providing responsive support to negative events is particularly difficult; received support for negative events disclosures (but not positive event disclosures) involves substantial drawbacks and risks, especially when that support is not responsive to the recipient's needs; and that enacted support for positive events was a better predictor of later perceptions of the quality of available support for stressors than enacted support for negative events. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for the social support literature and how positive relationship processes influence health and well-being, not only directly but also indirectly by providing critical information regarding the availability of others if a problem occurs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Given the importance of mutual understanding for constructive conflict resolution, this study investigated the influence of information-sharing on siblings faced with conflicts of interests. Thirty-two sibling dyads (ages 4.5 to 8) participated. Siblings were asked to negotiate the division of five toys between themselves. Half of the pairs first shared information on which toys they wanted and why. Results indicated that information-sharing increased children's knowledge of one another's interests, the likelihood of achieving maximally beneficial outcomes, and the involvement of younger siblings in problem-solving.
The impact of parental intervention on the quality of children's conflict behavior was examined using observational data from 40 English-speaking Canadian families with 2-and 4-year-old children. Children's behavior in the portions of fights that preceded their parents, interventions was compared to their behavior in fights in which there was no intervention. Also, children's behavior before parental intervention was contrasted with their behavior after intervention. It was found that parents intervened in the most intense fights between their children, fights in which the children displayed few de-escalating strategies. Parental intervention was associated with their children using fewer power strategies coupled with an increase in the use of more sophisticated negotiation moves. It was concluded that parental intervention in sibling conflict has beneficial effects in terms of the immediate quality of the children's fighting. Results were interpreted in light of contemporary models of socialization.
This study examined associations between children's descriptions of sibling conflicts and their resolutions during a structured negotiation task. A sample of 58 sibling dyads (older sibling M age = 8.39 years, younger sibling M = 6.06 years) were privately interviewed about an actual conflict. Each child provided a narrative that was coded for conflict issues, identified who was at fault, and described each sibling's conflict emotions. Children's subsequent conflict negotiations were coded for whether compromise outcomes were reached. Compromises were more likely when conflicts implicated physical harm and children reported experiencing sadness during their fights. Compromises were less likely when children believed that their sibling was solely culpable for a fight or they attributed more anger to self than to their sibling. Results also revealed various birth order, age group, and gender effects. Findings are discussed in light of moral domain theory, children's interpretive understanding of conflict, and goal-based theories of emotions.
The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC–2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) is a multimethod, multidimensional system used to evaluate the behavior and self-perceptions of children, adolescents, and young adults aged 2 through 25 years. The BASC–2 is multimethod in that it has the following components, which may be used individually or in any combination: (1) two rating scales, one for teachers (Teacher Rating Scales, or TRS) and one for parents (Parent Rating Scales, or PRS), which gather descriptions of the child's observable behavior, each divided into age-appropriate forms; (2) a self-report scale (Self-Report of Personality, or SRP), on which the child or young adult can describe his or her emotions and self-perceptions; (3) a Structured Developmental History (SDH) form; (4) a form for recording and classifying directly observed classroom behavior (Student Observation System, or SOS), which is also available for PDA applications as an electronic version known as the BASC–2 POP or Portable Observation Program; and (5) a self-report for parents of children ages 2–18 years, designed to capture a parent's perspective on the parent-child relationship in such domains as communication, disciplinary styles, attachment, involvement, and others.
Keywords:
diagnosis;
behavior;
behavioral assessment;
psychopathology
Parent and sibling influences on children's development of conflict management strategies were examined. Data consist of naturally occurring, in-home sibling disputes of 37 families at two time points. The siblings were approximately two and four years old at Time 1, and four and six years old at Time 2. Parents' and children's use of conflict strategies that reflect proactive autonomy assertions such as opposition and verbal and physical power were the focus of the current study. Results suggest that parents and siblings play an important role in shaping children's conflict behaviours over time. For instance, parents' reliance on unelaborated opposition to the child, and older siblings' increased use of physical power predicted decreases in younger siblings' ability to assert themselves during conflict. In addition, increased proportions of opposition from a younger sibling was associated with the older siblings using less verbal aggression and using more mature conflict strategies such as justifying their own behaviour to their younger sibling. As sibling conflict is a salient child rearing concern for parents, practical implications are discussed.
Abstract Individual differences in the nature and frequency of conflict behaviour between 18–24 month old children and their older siblings were investigated in a sample of 43 sibling pairs observed at home with their mothers. By 24 months, relatively mature behaviour such as conciliation, teasing, reference to social rules and justification for prohibition were observed. These behaviours were correlated with maternal and sibling reference to social rules and feelings 6 months earlier; physical aggression was correlated with earlier sibling physical aggression and maternal involvement. Sibling status and type of maternal intervention were not related to frequency and duration of sibling conflict.
This study investigates features of interaction between children that are linked to the development of understanding of mind, and asks whether these associations are evident across different relationships. Comparisons are made of the naturally occurring conversations in a sample of 43 4-year-old children, each observed with a sibling and with a friend. Links between features of these conversational interactions and the children's social cognitive development (theory of mind, emotion understanding), language ability and relationship quality are examined. Social cognitive skills were related to successful communication with siblings and with friends, and (marginally) to joint pretend play in both relationships; the relative significance of language for the development of social understanding differed in the two relationships. Language skills and socio-economic background were important only for conversations and pretend play with friends, not siblings.
Sibling relationship quality and social understanding (second-order false belief, conflict interpretation, and narrative conflict perspective references) were examined as unique and interactive correlates of sibling conflict behavior in 62 dyads (older M age = 8.39 years and younger M age = 6.06 years). High-quality relationships were associated with positive conflict processes. Younger siblings' second-order false belief scores were negatively associated with constructive conflict strategies, and older siblings' narrative self-referential focus was negatively associated with compromise. Associations between younger children's social understanding (conflict interpretation and narrative perspective references) and siblings' dyadic conflict behavior were moderated by relationship quality. Results suggest that links between social understanding and conflict behavior should be considered in conjunction with the quality of children's relationships.
This study examined associations between children's early experiences in family disputes and their later management of conflicts with a close friend. Thirty-seven children were observed interacting with their mother and older sibling at 33 months and with a friend at 72 months. Children's early use of argument was not associated with their later behavior during disputes with a friend. However, argument used by the mother and sibling that considered the child needs was positively associated with the child's later use of constructive argument and resolution techniques. The mother's use of argument that focused on her own needs was negatively related to these outcomes. These associations were independent of global characteristics of the mother-child and sibling relationships. Moreover, the mother's use of argument predicted the child's later conflict management independent of the child's early argument patterns, emotion understanding, and verbal fluency.
The effects of training parents to use formal mediation procedures in sibling disputes were examined in 48 families with 5- to 10-years-old children, randomly assigned to mediation and control conditions. Children whose parents were trained in mediation were compared with those whose parents intervened normally. Parents reported that children used more constructive conflict resolution strategies, compromised more often, and controlled the outcomes of conflicts more often in mediation families than in control families. Observations indicated less negativity in children's independent negotiations of recurrent conflicts, better understanding of the role of interpretation in assessing blame, and better knowledge of their siblings' perspectives in the mediation group. Thus, both social and social-cognitive gains resulted from experience with constructive conflict resolution.
This study examined the feasibility and short-term effects of mothers' use of mediation to help children (5 to 8 years) resolve disputes. Families in which mothers were trained to use mediation were compared with control families on intervention strategies at home and discussion of a recurring conflict in the laboratory. With training, mothers could use mediation strategies, and these strategies were favored by both mothers and children. Children responded appropriately to mediation (reasoning, discussing emotions, and understanding motivations more often than in control families). Mediation empowered children, particularly younger siblings, to solve conflict issues. Although questions of the long-term implications of mediation remain, this study suggests that mediation may be a powerful parenting tool, promoting social understanding and productive conflict resolution.
Children: The challenge
- R Dreikurs
Dreikurs, R. (1964). Children: The challenge. New York, NY: Hawthorn Books.
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Understanding and resolving arguments: The dynamics of negotiation
- N L Stein
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- D J Calicchia
- A Wright
Stein, N. L., Bernas, R. S., Calicchia, D. J., & Wright, A. (1996). Understanding and resolving arguments: The dynamics of negotiation. In B. K. Britton & A. C. Graesser (Eds.), Models of understanding text (pp. 257–288). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Problem solving in families: Research and practice
- S Vuchinich
Vuchinich, S. (1999). Problem solving in families: Research and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. PARENT MEDIATION