Poster #131 - The Association between Differential Parenting and Siblings’ Problem Behaviors: A Research from Turkish Cultural Context

• In Event: 2-002 - Special Poster Session 05 with Continental Breakfast Reception
  In Poster Session: PS 05 - International Section

Integrative Statement

Researchers examining the influences of non-shared environmental factors on child development have focused on differential parental treatment of siblings (PDT) (Feinberg & Hetherington, 2001). PDT is defined as the extent to which parents treat a child compared to other sibling in the family (Finzi-Dottan & Cohen, 2010) and it is associated with child and adolescent outcomes (Tamrouti-Makkink, Dubas, Gerris, & Aken, 2004). For instance, Richmond, Stocker, and Rienks (2005) stated that less favorable treatment increases externalizing problems and depressive symptoms over time. In that respect, it is important to examine whether this type of relationship is valid for different cultures. Therefore, the current study focused on parental differential treatment and psychological adjustment among Turkish adolescent siblings. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between perceived parental differential treatment and Turkish adolescents’ conduct behaviors, hyperactivity levels, and emotion problems after controlling for adolescents’ gender, maternal education level, and perceived SES.
A total of 298 adolescents who had a sibling participated in the study. Siblings with the maximum age difference of 5 years between two were recruited. To measure perceived parental differential treatment in Turkish culture, Sibling Perceptions of Differential Parental Treatment Scale was developed by the researchers of the current study. It has two factors: positive and negative differential treatment. Sibling Inventory of Differential Experiences (Daniels & Plomin, 1985) was used to test convergent validity. It had good reliability and convergent validity scores. Conduct behaviors, hyperactivity, and emotion problems were measured by Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 2001).
Three hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated that after controlling for the adolescent’s gender, maternal education level, and perceived SES, positive parental differential treatment (PDT) negatively predicted emotion problems (β= -.20, p<.001); however, negative PDT did not significantly predict adolescents’ emotion problems (β= .09, ns). Thus, adolescents who perceive that their parents favor them relative to their siblings experience less emotion problems. In addition, after controlling for the gender, maternal education level, and perceived SES, negative PDT was positively associated with the adolescents’ hyperactivity levels (β= .23, p<.001). Lastly, the results demonstrated that positive PDT was negatively linked with conduct behaviors (β=-.14, p=.03) and negative PDT was positively associated with conduct behaviors (β=.15, p=.02) after controlling for the gender, maternal education level, and perceived SES. According to these results, adolescents who perceived to be favored by their parents experienced less conduct behaviors; whereas, adolescents perceived to be treated negatively by their parents experienced more conduct behaviors. Results and implications for parent intervention programs will be discussed.

Authors

• Hurigul Bayram Gulacti, Middle East Technical University
  Presenting Author

• Sibel Kazak Berument, Middle East Technical University
  Non-Presenting Author