Are younger children more likely to be favored by their parents?

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

Although parents may treat their children differently for valid reasons such as differing developmental needs (Jensen et al., 2020; Kowal & Kramer, 1997), favoritism as denoted by differences in treatment still have negative implications for children who are not favored. For example, past work highlights that being less favored is linked to externalizing behaviors (Boyle et al., 2004; Peng et al., 2018), internalizing behaviors (Meunier et al., 2012; Shanahan et al., 2008), and negative family relationships (Boll et al., 2005; Kowal et al., 2004).
Because of the negative outcomes associated with being less favored, it is critical for scholars to examine which children may be favored or less favored by their parents. Although few studies have explicitly examined this question, enough data exist in the literature on parental favoritism to assess the link between relative birth order and favoritism.
Data for the current analysis came from 20 unique samples, 66 sources nested within those samples, and 716 effect sizes nested within those sources. Overall, the analysis reflected data collected on 11,670 unique children (M Age = 17.39, SD = 11.16). Sources for the data came from published studies, doctoral dissertations, masters’ theses, and unpublished raw data shared from several scholars.
Meta-analysis often collapses multiple effect sizes within each study. In the current analysis, however, we took advantage of the variation that exists within studies and within samples by using a four level multi-level meta-analysis. To further leverage the multi-level model, we examined moderators at each level to see whether the overall correlation between favoritism and relative birth order varied by characteristics of the sample, source, and/or effect size.
Our findings suggest that overall, when comparing two children, parents may be inclined to favor the younger (see Model 1 of Table 1). This overall effect was moderated by several characteristics (see Model 2 of Table 1). In particular, younger children were especially likely to be favored in larger families, when siblings were at younger ages (e.g., childhood versus adolescence), and by their fathers. Further, favored children were only favored in terms of affection (as opposed to overall favoritism, or favoritism based on conflict, resources, or control). In other words, parents may tend to be more affectionate to a younger sibling. In one instance, however, older siblings received favored treatment. Specifically, parents were less likely to exert control over or to monitor the activities of older children.
Although the effect sizes in our analysis were generally small, our findings do have implications for clinicians working with families struggling to manage or resolve issues associated with parental favoritism. Parents may need to be aware of an inclination favor younger or older children in different ways. Future work will need to establish whether favoritism based on affection or control have differing implications for children’s development.

Authors

• Alexander C. Jensen, Brigham Young University
  Presenting Author

• Lauren E Andrus, Brigham Young University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Janna Pickett, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• McKell A Jorgensen-Wells, Brigham Young University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Virginia K Leiter, Brigham Young University
  Non-Presenting Author