Poster #97 - Sibling Attachment Relationships in Adverse Childhood Conditions

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Attachment theory and research has largely focused on parent child attachments, romantic relationships, and more recently, attachment in peer relationships. Sibling relationships, however, have largely been neglected despite sibling relationships being our longest lasting relationships. Bowlby and Ainsworth acknowledged that sibling attachments can form, especially when siblings play the role as a stand-in parent (Ainsworth, 1991; Bowlby, 1983). Research supports the idea that siblings can form attachments to each other with half to three-quarters of siblings showing attachment relationships to each other (Mooya et al., 2016; Stewart, 1983).

Theory would predict that sibling attachment quality should correlate to parent attachment quality. There is a shocking paucity of research on this topic, with the one study finding no significant relationship between parent attachment quality and sibling attachment quality (Mooya et al., 2016). Just as little is known about parent attachment influences on sibling relationship quality in general: Fortuna et. al. (2011) found adults with more insecure attachment states of mind had poorer relationships with siblings.

Research on the impact of sibling relationship quality on developmental outcomes is crucial because these relationships can serve as a source of resiliency. While it is true that negative parental relationships can fuel negative sibling relationships (Hoffman et al., 2005; Kim et al., 2006), it is also the case that some siblings form positive relationships in negative family environments (Jenkins, 1992; Milevsky & Levitt, 2005; Kim, et al., 2006). It is unclear, however, under what conditions siblings form protective positive relationships with each other and under which siblings form negative parent and sibling relationships.

The present study (n = 348, mean age = 22.5 years, 77% women) tested whether the interaction between adverse childhood experiences (assessed with Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale [ACES]; Finkelhor, 2013) adult attachment quality to parents predicts adult attachment quality to siblings (both assessed with Experiences in Close Relationships Revised Scale; (Fraley, et. al. 2006) which in turn, leads to sibling relationship quality in general, (assessed both retrospectively as children and currently as adults [Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale; Reggio, 2000]). We tested six moderated mediation models (Hayes, 2017). As the figures show, adult attachment security to parents predicted adult attachment security to siblings, which in turn predicted (retrospectively during childhood and currently) more frequent and more positive behavior toward siblings, more positive affect toward siblings, and more positive beliefs about siblings and sibling relationships. Importantly, we found that ACES moderated the link between adult attachment security to parents and adult attachment security to siblings such that as ACES increased, the strength of the relationship between adult attachment insecurity to parents and adult attachment insecurity to siblings decreased. These findings suggest that in traumatizing childhood environments with insecure parent attachment relationships, siblings may grow closer to each other and develop more positive relationships.

Authors

• Marissa D Nivison, Alma College
  Presenting Author

• Brandi Stupica, Alma College
  Non-Presenting Author