NCJ Number
252910
Journal
Psychology of Violence Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: 2018 Pages: 10-18
Date Published
2018
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the role of family adversity in the onset and desistance of sibling victimization by analyzing two waves of longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample to determine school-age children's sibling victimization patterns.
Abstract
Parents of children aged 5-9 years old and children aged 10-12 years old (N = 945, Mage = 8.5 years, 52 male) participated in two waves of telephone interviews 2 years apart. Family adversity was compared for children whose victimization by a sibling emerged at Wave 2 (the New group) and those children who did not experience any sibling victimization at either Wave (the None group).Also, children who continued to be victimized (the Persist group) were compared with those children for whom victimization stopped (the Desist group). An increase in family adversity was associated with initiation of sibling victimization, and termination was related to a decline in family adversity. These patterns applied more to girls than boys. The study concludes that family adversity was associated with the onset and termination of sibling victimization. In adverse family conditions, girls may be particularly vulnerable to sibling victimization. For families dealing with loss, illness, and other transitions, parents and children may need help preventing and interrupting sibling victimization. (publisher abstract modified)