NCJ Number
191205
Journal
Sociological Spectrum Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: October-December 2001 Pages: 507-532
Date Published
October 2001
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study examined how heavy drinking of alcohol by a sibling erodes performance in sibling relationships.
Abstract
The study aimed to extend the sociological research on alcohol use and family relationships. The analysis used survey data gathered in March 1996 from 339 college students attending a large southern university. Measures included sibling drinking frequency, disruptive behaviors resulting from heavy drinking, shared family stress, and sibling relationships as indicated by criticism or making the sibling feel loved. Control variables included parental drinking, race, gender, and sibling gender. Results indicated that siblings who were heavy drinkers exhibited substantially poorer sibling relationship performance than did nondrinking siblings. However, the data also indicated that an important factor mediated this link. Sibling drinking was no longer a significant predictor of sibling relationship performance once the analysis controlled for a measure of disruptive behaviors often associated with heavy drinking. Hence, an underlying association between disruptive behaviors associated with heavy drinking and poor sibling relationship performance actually accounted for the inverse relationship between sibling drinking and sibling relationship performance. Tables, footnotes, appended questionnaire items and scales, and 23 references (Author abstract modified)