This investigation examined participants' perceptions of sibling relational influence on career exploration and decision making. Career path influence on sibling relationships and times when these relationships were most important also were explored. Individual interviews were conducted with urban commuter college students, and narrative data were…

It is well known that growing up with a sibling who has a disability has both positive and negative impacts on the non-disabled sibling (Beckman, 2002; Fisman, Wolf, Ellison, & Freeman, 2000; Gans, 1997; McHugh, 2003). In fact, the concern for ameliorating the potential negative impacts on nondisabled siblings has been a major impetus for the…

The report documents the progress and accomplishments of the SEFAM (Supporting Extended Family Members) Program, which developed model programs for fathers, siblings, and grandparents. The first section summarizes staff efforts for five project objectives: (1) to develop, expand, test, and refine the pilot "Fathers and Infants/Toddlers"…

Videotapes of 50 mothers interacting with each of two siblings when each child was 12 months old showed that mothers behaved very similarly towards the siblings. Results suggest that differential maternal treatment of children at the same age in infancy is unlikely to be a major source of observed marked individual differences in siblings.…

Presents findings from a research study on sibling loss in childhood which support the idea that the loss of a sibling in childhood may be an especially significant loss for a child, in that both internal, family, and societal influences prohibit the opportunity to mourn the loss. (Author/NRB)

Reviews concerns that college students expressed about sibling relationships in open-ended questions submitted for class discussions. Some questions suggested the relevance of quasi-parental role performance, and others suggested the effect of subgroup and gang formation on family power distribution in the family. (JAC)

Conducted secondary analysis of existing data from two major national surveys of adults to examine whether number of siblings is related to sociability among men and women. The findings do not suggest a relationship between sibling number and being affiliative as an adult. (Author/NB)

We review the different strategies currently used to try to identify susceptibility genes for idiopathic autism. Although identification of genes is usually straightforward in Mendelian disorders, it has proved to be much more difficult to establish in polygenic disorders like autism. Neither genome screens of affected siblings nor the large…

Stimulus properties of toys may impact the type and amount of play observed between children with autism and their playmates. Six children with autism and their siblings participated in an evaluation of toy characteristics on type of play, problem behavior, social initiations, and responses to social initiations. Separate free operant preference…

This study examined the influence of socioeconomic (age, education, marital status, income, and health) and demographic variables and the quantity and quality of relationships with adult children, grandchildren, siblings and friends on life satisfaction of the elderly. Participants were 200 persons older than 60 years of age. Hierarchical…

Little evidence supports that siblings with autism exhibit the same behaviors; however, some findings suggest that level of functioning shows familial aggregation. We tested this notion among multiplex families participating with the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) Consortium, using scores on the "Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third…

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…

This article builds on sociological accounts of the negotiated, creative character of kinship and on previous studies of children's involvement in family life to ask how children actively create and define kinship and relatedness. Drawing on data from a qualitative study with children aged 7-12 in the north of England, the authors identify five…

Children with autism may sometimes appear to be living in their own world and show very little interest in others. They may be socially unaware, avoiding eye contact and showing limited attachment to others. But when a child is able to express and communicate thoughts, desires, and needs, they are much more likely to seek out social interactions.…

College is a time for intellectual growth and also an important time for psychological and emotional maturation and the development of coping skills. The death loss of a family member or friend is a relatively common experience for college students. How students and family members are notified of a death can have a long-standing impact on their…