Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Katherine Karraker

Committee Member

Christina Adams

Committee Member

JoNell Strough

Abstract

The first objective of the present study was to examine the associations among adolescent adjustment outcomes and several family relationships. The second objective was to investigate the sibling relationship as a potential source of support for adolescents living in high marital conflict homes. Seventy-eight (44 females, 34 males) adolescents (39 sibling pairs) completed several questionnaires regarding their behaviors, self-concept, and perceived social support from family relationships. Level of marital conflict was negatively related to adolescent self-concept and positively associated with adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The quality of the parent-adolescent and sibling relationships were positively correlated with adolescent self concept and inversely related to adolescent internalizing behaviors. Furthermore, perceived parental favoritism was negatively associated with adolescent self-concept and the quality of the mother-adolescent, father-adolescent, and sibling relationships. Parental favoritism also was positively related to adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Lastly, social support derived from the sibling relationship appears to help adolescents develop healthy self-concepts regardless of exposure to marital conflict.

Download

Share

COinS