Associations of maternal age at birth and subsequent intelligence test scores of children were examined in a series of over 1500 young men from the Netherlands. (Author/PHR)

Subjects were eight first-graders with older siblings, half from 2-child families and half from larger families. The four sex combinations of sibling pairs were equally represented. Half the children were aided on the task by their mother; half were aided by their sibling. Comparisons were made by sex and family size. nAuthor/JH)

Uses data on twins (N=355) to obtain estimates of the degree of shared familial influence on cognitive achievement and academic performance. Results indicate that there is considerable shared influence on cognitive achievement but much less for academic performance, suggesting more between-family variation in cognitive achievement than in academic…

Compared teaching and learning measures of 16 mother-child and sibling dyads playing a picture categorization game. Found that although siblings' teaching styles directed target children to make the correct choices, mothers provided information to help them make choices on their own, suggesting differences in how mothers and siblings interpreted…

A case report is presented in which an 11-year-old boy's desire to be a girl and to have his penis removed are shown to follow the initiation of sexual contact by his older brother. The boy's early history of moderate femininity may have made him vulnerable to gender identity conflict. (JDD)

Issues focusing on giftedness will become a greater part of the family counseling and therapy field in the coming decade. Answers to school-related questions commonly asked by parents of gifted youngsters are offered, with special focus on how parents and siblings are affected by labeling a child as gifted. (JW)

Psychological predictors of self-concept, behavior problems, and social competence of 55 siblings of developmentally disabled children were compared with those in 55 siblings of nondisabled children. Distinct psychological predictors for children with developmentally disabled siblings included parental stress and resources, perceived family social…

Examined gender and developmental differences in awareness of underlying feelings about subjects' age-near, same-sex sibling in 60 child-rearing and empty nest subjects. Found that women seemed to be more aware of their underlying feelings toward sisters than were men toward brothers, but valence of feelings was life phase-specific. (TE)

Examined patterns of mothers' and fathers' differential treatment of first-born and second-born school-age siblings in 110 families and the links between parents' differential treatment and children's well-being and dyadic family relationships. Found that parental patterns were linked to differences between the siblings' well-being and that…

Maternal treatment of sibling pairs with affectively ill and well mothers was examined in relation to child psychiatric status across childhood and early adolescence. Found that older siblings' symptoms were predicted by maternal bipolar or unipolar illness, whereas younger siblings' symptoms were predicted by lower maternal engagement and higher…

Examined individual differences in 50 preschool children's pretend play with their mothers and siblings. Results indicated individual differences in the amount and sophistication of preschoolers' social pretend play and suggested that these individual differences are related to experiences in preschoolers' relationships with their mothers and…

Developmental changes in the pattern of 50 families' conversations about feelings were examined when the families' second-born children were 33 and 47 months old. The total amount of talk and the frequency of talk about feelings between sibling pairs increased, whereas the amount of mother-child conversation and references to feelings decreased.…

Examined adolescents' perceptions of their daily conflicts in relationships with mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, romantic partners, and other peers and adults. Most adolescent conflicts were perceived as benign events with few positive or negative consequences for the relationship. Results suggest that adolescents recognize the fluidity and…

A case study is presented of a female adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse where the perpetrator was her older brother. The family dynamics are described, emphasizing the physically absent father (a clergyman), the emotionally distant mother, and the surrogate parent status of the perpetrator. The individual's efforts to receive appropriate…

This study examined the relationship between (1) sex and family size of 33 siblings of autistic children; and (2) siblings' performance on achievement, self-concept, home behavior, and school behavior measures. Overall, the siblings' performance was not suggestive of a need for special intervention. (Author/JDD)