NCJ Number
248713
Journal
Pediatrics Volume: 132 Issue: 1 Dated: July 2013 Pages: 79-84
Date Published
July 2013
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether being a victim of various forms of sibling aggression is associated with children's and adolescents' mental health distress, and it also contrasted the consequences of sibling versus peer aggression for children's and adolescents' mental health.
Abstract
Children ages 0 to 9 and youth ages 10 to 17 who experienced sibling aggression in the past year (i.e., psychological abuse, property abuse, and mild or severe physical assault) reported greater mental health distress compared with children and youth who did not experience such sibling aggression. Within the group who experienced mild physical assaults from siblings, children ages 0 to 9 showed greater mental health distress than did youth ages 10 to 17, but they did not differ in mental health effets for the other types of sibling aggression. A comparison of the mental health effects of sibling aggression and peer aggression independently and uniquely predicted significant mental health effects. These findings of the adverse impact of sibling aggression indicate that the focus of prevention resources on peer victimization and bullying should be expanded to include sibiling aggression. The study analyzed a national probability sample (n=3,599) interviewed by telephone about past-year victimization conducted with youth ages 10-17 or an adult caregiver concerning children ages 0 to 9. 2 tables and 25 references