Extending the topic of power, control, and influence in the sibling relationship past the years covered in this issue is not an easy task because most adult siblings neither interact frequently nor live in geographic proximity, although there are considerable ethnic and social class variations. Thus, there are limited opportunities to observe how…

The balance of power and control is an understudied, yet important, aspect of the sibling relationship that is theorized to shift over the course of development from early childhood to young adulthood. The investigations in this issue offer support for this overall progression, but extend prior research by providing a nuanced understanding of…

In this paper the author argues that sibling relationships are a missing piece of the eating disorder puzzle. She notes that disturbing relationships with siblings have been present all along in the literature, but have not been included as a separate area of study. They have thus been hiding in plain sight, present but not accounted for in our…

Bullying. Death. Disabilities. Peer acceptance. Cultural differences. Adoption. Sibling rivalry... These are some of the unfortunate realities and personal challenges that children experience and must deal with on a daily basis. Library media specialists are frequently asked to suggest books teachers can use to give children insight into…

In this article, the authors present an interview with Don Meyer, an advocate for the siblings of children with disabilities. Don Meyer has conducted "SibShops," a peer support and information for school-age siblings of children with disabilities, and written extensively on the difficult situation of children in this underserved demographic. Here,…

Presents a proposal for professionals in family counseling and family assessment to use sibling interaction as a source of stimulation to improve developmental processes. Includes a reference guide for dealing with everyday problems in sibling relationships. Contains a questionnaire to obtain information about parents' thoughts and actions…

This interview conducted with adult twin sisters legally blind since birth focuses primarily on their experiences with residential education--their relationship with their family, positive and negative aspects of residential education, how the experiences shaped their adult life, and changes needed in residential schools. (JDD)

Examines the effect of birth order on child development, noting that spacing of children, gender, family size, and family configuration all play a role in determining what effect birth order will have. The article looks at various traits of firstborn, middle, lastborn, and only children. (SM)

The long hours that latchkey children are alone make them sexually vulnerable and provide them with increased opportunities to participate in sexual activity. Their sexual development is as likely influenced by peers, older siblings, television, movies, and books as by their parents. (IAH)

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" depicts sibling relationships between Data and Lore (android), Worf and Kurn (Klingon) and Jean-Luc and Robert (human) that illustrate conflictual communication and suggest teaching applications. The most disturbing empirical communication research on conflict between brothers reports that male sibling…

Considers assumptions underlying design of Bussell et al.'s Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development study. Suggests that a source of the common environment specific to this study is the effect of an individual in mutual ratings of relationship with siblings, leading to a larger common-environment effect across variables than within…

Notes that, to better conceptualize the emotions related to adoption, it is important to understand and consider the ordinal position of an adoptee who is being treated for emotional difficulties. Examines the impact of three categories of ordinal position in adoption; all adjusted children; biological children followed by adopted child; and…

Addresses concerns raised in Neale's commentary regarding the Bussell et al. (1999) Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development study. Discussion of assumptions focuses on those most relevant to study sample. Because Neale's proposed alternative models did not provide a better fit, the appropriateness of Bussell's model and importance of…

This chapter argues for the value of sibling research in addressing behavioral genetic issues on the etiology of individual differences. The goal of the report is to provide a set of simple and practical examples of sibling analyses in order to highlight the importance of incorporating siblings in future research. It begins with a discussion of…

This paper describes the feelings and needs of children who have siblings with disabilities from the point of view of a woman who has a brother with an intellectual disability. Eight lessons that adult siblings can teach professionals about the significant, often forgotten, family role they play are outlined, supported by descriptive quotations…