Brief report: Physical health of adolescent perpetrators of sibling aggression.

Academic Article

Abstract

  • We describe adolescents' perpetration of sibling aggression and its link to physical health two years later. In-school surveys at Time 1 (N = 331) and Time 2 (two-years later, N = 283) were administered to adolescents (at Time 1, Mage = 15.71 years, SD = .63; 52% female) living in the United States querying about perpetration of aggression toward a sibling closest in age and perceived physical health. The majority of adolescents perpetrated aggression towards their sibling (74%). Adolescents who were part of brother-brother pairs reported the most aggression. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that perpetrating sibling aggression more often at Time 1 was predictive of lower physical health at Time 2 controlling for Time 1 physical health and demographic characteristics. Perpetration of aggression toward a sibling is common and has negative health consequences in late adolescence suggesting this issue should be targeted to improve adolescents' sibling dynamics and physical health.
  • Authors

  • Tucker, Corinna Jenkins
  • Van Gundy, Karen
  • Sharp, Erin
  • Rebellon, Cesar
  • Status

    Publication Date

  • December 2015
  • Published In

    Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Aggression
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Perpetrator
  • Physical health
  • Regression Analysis
  • Self Report
  • Siblings
  • Digital Object Identifier (doi)

    Pubmed Id

  • 26473945
  • Start Page

  • 171
  • End Page

  • 173
  • Volume

  • 45
  • Issue

  • 1