Model siblings: Adolescent coping strategies influenced by birth order, study shows
Growing up as the oldest sibling of a younger brother and sister shaped the way University of Delaware associate professor Mellissa S. Gordon learned to communicate and cope with challenges. As a single parent, her mother often looked to Gordon to set an example, and over time, she found herself acting as a parental figure. When her siblings struggled to express frustrations or felt overwhelmed…
A new study published in Behavioral Sciences examines how birth order and sibling gender influence the coping strategies of adolescents. Researchers from the University of Delaware's College of Education and Human Development found that birth order and sibling gender had complex associations with adolescents' use of coping strategies.
The study, conducted by Megha Garg, Mellissa S. Gordon, and Christine M. Ohannessian, analyzed data from nearly 1,500 Northeastern adolescents and revealed surprising findings. The researchers expected birth order to significantly impact adolescents' use of coping strategies, with older siblings using them more often than younger siblings.
However, they discovered that birth order did not predict coping strategies in same-gender sibling pairs, while it did play a role in mixed-gender pairs. Older adolescents in mixed-gender sibling pairs were more likely to use coping strategies when they were older, contrary to expectations. The study also revealed that the type of coping strategy used varied based on the adolescent's birth order and sibling gender.
Older adolescents in same-gender pairs were less likely to use active or problem-focused coping strategies, while younger adolescents in same-gender pairs did not show an association with any coping strategy. These findings suggest that counselors, school psychologists, and therapists should consider siblings as influential components of adolescents' environments and development.
By incorporating siblings into therapy sessions and recognizing their roles in the family system, practitioners can provide more effective support and interventions for adolescents during this complex period of rapid development.
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