Sibling Relationships in Middle and Old Age.

Autor/in	Cicirelli, Victor G.
Titel	Sibling Relationships in Middle and Old Age.
Quelle	In: Advances in Applied Developmental Psychology, 10 (1996), S.47-73 (28 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Schlagwörter	Adult Children; Adult Development; Birth Order; Family Role; Middle Aged Adults; Older Adults; Sibling Relationship; Siblings + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Erwachsenwerden; Geburtenfolge; Älterer Erwachsener; Sibling relations; Geschwisterbeziehung; Sibling; Geschwister
Abstract	The research discussed in this article focuses on the relationship between siblings in adulthood and the relationship's effects on the siblings themselves. The report begins with a substantial review of the literature on siblings in adulthood, focusing on the meaning of the sibling relationship, methodological problems in studying adult siblings, existence of the sibling relationship in late adulthood, quality of the sibling relationship, effects of siblings on well-being, sibling help in old age, and sibling help to elderly parents. The next portion of the report describes research built upon a metamodel labeled Organicistic/Quasi-Contextualism, which combines a unidirectional, irreversible programmed theory of development with a multidirectional, reversible approach. The articles discusses implications of this model for sibling research, the applicability of adult attachment theory, and the author's empirical research on these questions. Specifically, findings include that during early adulthood siblings spend less time with one another and levels of distance and indifference arise, while during middle and old age there is a tendency for siblings to become close. The relationship shows evidence of siblings acting as helping agents, especially when issues of caring for parents arise, and of increasing psychological support due to increased dependency, decline in physical or mental health, and the lack of a spouse or adult children. (Contains 81 references.) (SD)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC