Sibling Conflict and Prosocial Behavior in Middle Childhood

The authors examined the relation between sibling conflict and prosocial behavior in 1st and 2nd graders, considering other aspects of the family context and child-level characteristics. The sample included 654 families predominantly from low-income, rural communities, almost half of whom were African American. Using hierarchical regression analyses, the authors tested for independent effects of maternal sensitivity, child inhibitory control, and sibling conflict on children’s prosociality controlling for demographic, maternal, and child variables. Maternal sensitivity, child inhibitory control, and sibling conflict each made an independent contribution to the prediction of prosocial behaviors – high maternal sensitivity and high inhibitory control were both associated with high prosocial behavior, while high sibling conflict was associated with lower prosocial behavior. The results are discussed with regards to the strong longitudinal study design, diverse sample, and extensive use of controls, and implications are discussed in a family systems framework regarding siblings’ unique influences on child outcomes.Master of Art