There are three previous studies that have explored positive parenting practices as a correlate of sibling aggression; all of which have employed a cross-sectional design. Updegraff et al. (2005) found that greater parental warmth and parental involvement was associated with lower levels of relational aggression between siblings. Similarly, children who reported no experience of sibling victimisation were found to grow up in families with higher levels of parental warmth compared to those children who were victimised by their brothers and sisters (Tucker et al., 2014b); with those severely victimised being the least likely to grow up in homes with warm parent-child relationships. Finally, Tippett & Wolke (2015) further support these findings, showing that positive parenting behaviour (e.g. praising or hugging child) can act protective of sibling aggression; reducing the likelihood of both sibling victimisation and perpetration.
Negative Parent-Child Relationships
Negative parent-child relationships are perhaps the most frequently studied and best- established correlate of sibling aggression. It has even been suggested as the strongest predictor of sibling aggression, even in the context of demographic, structural and other characteristics (Eriksen & Jensen, 2009; Tippett & Wolke, 2015). In respect to perpetrating sibling aggression, severe forms of negative parenting practices such as parent-to-child violence, have been put forward as a key correlate of sibling violence perpetration (Eriksen & Jensen, 2009; Relva, 2013; Yu & Gamble, 2008a, 2008b). Harsh parenting that includes corporal punishment or shouting at a child has further been identified as a correlate of perpetrating sibling aggression (Eriksen & Jensen, 2009; Tippett & Wolke, 2015; Toseeb et al., 2018). Regarding sibling victimisation, inconsistent (e.g. poor supervision) or harsh parenting (e.g. shouting, smacking) has similarly been reported more frequently in children who are victimised by their siblings (Tippett & Wolke, 2015; Tucker et al., 2014b; Toseeb et al., 2018). Furthermore, maltreatment by a parent or caretaker has also been associated with experiencing sibling victimisation and abuse (Radford et al., 2013; Button & Gealt, 2010), even in a prospective study (Bowes et al., 2014). There is only one previous
study that has looked at factors associated with sibling bullying groups (Toseeb et al., 2018), these scholars found that harsh parenting was predictive of any sibling bullying involvement (victim, bully-victim and bully).
Parent-Parent Relationship
The emotional climate of the interparental relationship has also been frequently and consistently associated with sibling aggression. Better quality marital relationships have for instance been associated with warmer parenting styles and more positive sibling relationships (Yu & Gamble, 2008a, 2008b). In contrast, heightened interparental conflict has been associated with increased levels of sibling victimisation (Tucker et al., 2014). Moreover, children who are raised in families where they witness domestic violence, have been reported to be at risk for perpetrating sibling aggression (Eriksen & Jensen, 2006; Piotrowski & Cameransesi, 2014; 2018), but also sibling victimisation (Button & Gealt, 2010; Bowes et al., 2014; Noland et al., 2004).
Parental Mental Health
There is consistent evidence suggesting that parental mental health may impair parenting abilities including lower maternal warmth, higher levels of emotional/physical unavailability, more frequent child physical/psychological abuse as well as producing more insecure mother-child attachment bonds (Coyl, Roggman, & Newland, 2002; Holmes, 2013; Leinonen, Solantaus, & Punamäki, 2003; Smith, 2004). Moreover, poor maternal mental health has been predictive of more child aggressive behaviour more generally (Holmes, 2013). There is some evidence suggesting that maternal mental health is directly linked to more aggressive behaviour among siblings (Miller, Grabell, Thomas, Bermann, & Graham-Bermann, 2012) and increases the odds of becoming victimised by a brother or sister (Bowes et al., 2014), however findings are limited to maternal depression only. The peer bullying literature on the other hand has found that suboptimal maternal mental health was associated with higher odds of bullying perpetration (Shetgiri, Lin, Avila, & Flores, 2012).
Summary and Limitations
Table 2.3. summarises the empirical evidence that links parent and parenting characteristics to sibling aggression. Warm, sensitive and supportive parenting appear to be protective of sibling aggression, as proposed by attachment theory. Furthermore,
as suggested by family-systems theory it appears necessary to explore both the parent- parent (however only in respect to domestic violence and not to marital relationship) as well as the parent-child relationship in order to gain a better understanding of what aspects of the family dynamic are important towards explaining sibling aggression. Witnessing or experiencing violence within the home, appear to be a risk factor for sibling aggression, as put forward by social learning theory.
Limitations:
1. The majority of studies are cross-sectional; with the exception of two prospective studies (Bowes et al., 2014; Toseeb et al., 2018).
2. Bowes et al. (2014) explore a range of parenting characteristics, however the study is limited to sibling bullying victimisation only.
3. Toseeb et al. (2018) explore sibling bullying victimisation, perpetration and group involvement separately, however the study is limited to only one aspect of parenting (i.e. harsh parenting). Studies differentiating between sibling bullying groups are needed.
4. Toseeb et al. (2018) reported only on the crude associations and did not control for other potential precursors at the same time (e.g. structural family characteristics).
5. There is a limited number of studies exploring the relationship between sibling aggression and positive parent-child relationships and parental mental health. 6. Studies on parental mental health are limited to maternal depression only.
Table 2.3
Summary of Empirical Evidence for Association between Parent and Parenting Characteristics and Sibling Aggression
Construct Direction Strength of Association Empirical Evidence
Positive parent- child relationship
Parental warmth ↓ Sibling aggression
Consistent; strong association Updegraff et al., 2005; Tucker et al., 2014; Tippett & Wolke, 2015
Negative parent- child relationship
Harsh parenting ↑ Sibling aggression; Maltreatment ↑ Sibling aggression
Consistent; strong association Bowes et al., 2014; Button & Gealt, 2010; Eriksen & Jensen, 2009; Radford et al., 2013; Relva, 2013; Tippett & Wolke, 2015; Yu & Gamble, 2008 Parent-Parent
relationship
Interparental conflict ↑
Sibling aggression; Domestic violence ↑ Sibling aggression
Consistent; strong association Bowes et al., 2014; Button & Gealt, 2010; Eriksen & Jensen, 2006; Noland et al., 2004; Piotrowski et al., 2017; Yu & Gamble, 2008
Parent mental health problems
Parental mental health problems ↑ Sibling aggression
Consistent; weak association; limited to maternal depression.
Bowes et al., 2014; Holmes, 2013; Millet et al., 2012
2.2.3 Early Social Experiences