The Adolescent Sibling Relationship as a Predictor of Romantic Relationship Quality in Emerging Adulthood
Many thanks to the Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty at St. Cloud State University, and the 2015-2017 cohort. This thesis is dedidcated to my brother, who inspires my sibling research.
Abstract
This study examines the relationship quality of siblings during adolescence and the relationship quality of romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. The research hypothesis states that in positive dyadic sibling relationships, individuals with an opposite-sex older sibling will report greater relationship satisfaction with a romantic partner in emerging adulthood than individuals with a same-sex older sibling. Participant demographics as well as responses to the Network of Relationship Inventory were examined. Participants were university students who had at least one sibling, and were in a current romantic relationship lasting at least 6 months. The implications of research are to expand understanding of how the sibling relationship impacts family dynamics, as well as the social development of the individual.
