Adolescent resilience: Examining the influence of sibling position following a parental separation
Abstract
Siblings and sibling relationships are an often overlooked and underutilized component of family therapy. In families that experience a parental separation, the family is in flux and thus, the children can be severely impacted, especially adolescent children. This thesis examines whether sibling position, or birth order, has a significant influence on adolescent resilience following an experienced parental separation. The following hypotheses were investigated: 1) older siblings would show the most resilience than middle or younger siblings, 2) older siblings who were female would show more resilience than older siblings who were male, and 3) age at parental separation occurring in late adolescence would show more resilience. Participants (n=246) identified as having one or two siblings and experienced a parental separation in adolescence. Sibling position was not found to be a predictor of resilience, even interacting with the sex of the participant. Age at separation was significant predictor of resilience, specifically, those whose parents separated in early adolescent demonstrated the lower levels of resilience suggesting that age will have a clinical importance in predicting and emphasizing resilience.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Nalbone, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Behavioral Sciences|Developmental psychology|Individual & family studies
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