It's a common belief that children's bad behaviors come from their surroundings, specifically from the friends and people they hang out with who may or may not be a "bad influence." Others blame parents for kids' unpleasant characteristics but a new study found that siblings are the culprit.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and Quebec, Canada found that siblings are responsible for instilling bad behaviors in children more than their parents, friends or genetics, WTAX reported. Brett Laursen, the study's lead author, said that a sibling is "more important and influential" especially if the age is closer. However, there are major aspects to consider in these findings.
"Because problem behaviors spread indirectly between siblings, the key take home message from this study is that intervention programs need to be targeted at specific problem behaviors and not the [sibling] relationship itself," Laursen further explained, as quoted by WTAX.
For the study, the research team examined pairs of fraternal and identical twins aged 13 to 15. They found that plenty of twins and siblings "feel closer to their siblings than they do to their friends" because their relationship is obligatory, as opposed to friendships. Laursen stressed that "time together plus closeness equals influence," Daily Mail reported.
Laursen and his fellow researchers found that siblings' problem behaviors spread via two steps. First, if a teenager abuses alcohol or does delinquent acts, his/her sibling is likely to have the same delinquency, too. Ultimately, the problem extends beyond the siblings and reaches new, different behavioral domains. This puts the child influenced by his/her sibling on a path to greater substance use or indulge in more delinquent behaviors than his/her influential sibling.
Laursen said that experts often focus on parents in interventions but he advised them to train their eyes toward the child's siblings as well. Siblings' influence over substance use and delinquency is heavier than friends and parents.
Laursen added that intervention programs should focus on specific problem behaviors instead of the relationship of the siblings itself. He also advised against keeping siblings apart because it is "insufficient and impractical."
A child's birth order has a huge effect on his/her personality, behavior or intelligence. According to PsychCentral, firstborns are usually reliable, controlling, cautious and high achievers who want approval.
Middle children are often the peacemakers, are people-pleasers, have plenty of friends and are excellent in their navigating and negotiating skills. Youngest children, meanwhile, are usually described as carefree, self-centered, fun-loving and outgoing.
