Parents' Differential Treatment of Adolescent Siblings in African American Families

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12166
• Author: Anna R. Solmeyer,Susan M. McHale
• Date: 01 March 2017
• Published date: 01 March 2017

Parents’ Differential Treatment of Adolescent

Siblings in African American Families

ANNA R. SOLMEYER*

SUSAN M. MCHALE*

Research on European and European American families suggests that parents’ dif-

ferential treatment of siblings has negative implications for youths’ adjustment, but

few studies have explored these dynamics in minority samples. This study examined

parents’ differential acceptance and conflict in a sample of mothers, fathers, and two

adolescent siblings in 179 African American families who were interviewed on three

annual occasions. In an effort to replicate findings from European and European

American samples, we assessed the longitudinal associations between differential treat-

ment and adolescent adjustment and tested three sibling characteristics (birth order,

gender, and dyad gender composition) as potential moderators of these linkages. To

illuminate the sociocultural context of differential treatment and its implications, we

also explored parents’ cultural socialization practices and experiences of financial

stress as potential moderators of these links. Multilevel models revealed that, control-

ling for average parent–child relationship qualities, decreases in parental acceptance

and increases in parent–youth conflict over time—relative to the sibling—were associ-

ated with increases in youths’ risky behavior and depressive symptoms. Links between

differential treatment and adjustment were not evident, however, when mothers

engaged in high levels of cultural socialization and in families under high financial

stress. The discussion highlights the significance of sociocultural factors in family

dynamics.

Keywords: African American families; Parents’ Differential Treatment; Siblings;

Adolescent Adjustment

Fam Proc 56:171–188, 2017

Parents’ differential treatment (PDT) of siblings is a perv asive family dynamic that

persists throughout the life course (Shanahan, McHale, Crouter, & Osgood, 2008;

Suitor & Pillemer, 2000). Although parents may have legitimate reasons for their behav-

iors, such as siblings’ different maturity levels or needs, differential treatment is gener-

ally linked with more adjustment problems for the less favored sibling (Feinberg,

*Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

Correspondence should be directed to Anna R. Solmeyer, Department of Human Development and Fam-

ily Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 106 Beecher Dock House, University Park, PA 16802.

E-mail: anna.r.soli@gmail.com.

Portions of this work were based on a doctoral dissertation by Anna R. Solmeyer. This research was

funded by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD32336)

to Ann C. Crouter and Susan M. McHale, Co-Principal Investigators. We thank Megan Baril, Kelly Davis,

Aryn Dotterer, Marni Kan, Ji-Yeon Kim, Jamie Marks, Ashleigh May, Carolyn Ransford, Cindy Shearer,

Shawn Whiteman, Sandee Hemman, Kristen Johnston, and Temple University’s Survey Research Center

for their help in conducting this research and the participating families for their time and cooperation.

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Family Process, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2017 ©2015 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12166

Neiderhiser, Simmens, Reiss, & Hetherington, 2000; Shanahan et al., 2008), particularly

when it is perceived as unfair (Kowal, Kramer, Krull, & Crick, 2002). In this paper, we

built on this evidence and other research and theory suggesting that PDT is a common

family dynamic (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956; McHale & Crouter, 2003), to address

several gaps in this literature.

First, most studies on differential treatment have been limited to European and Euro-

pean American families even though children from other sociocultural groups in the Uni-

ted States have more siblings, on average (Hernandez, 2004), and siblings spend

substantial time together (Updegraff, McHale, Whiteman, Thayer, & Delgado, 2005).

Accordingly, our first goal was to examine the longitudinal associations between PDT and

youths’ risky behaviors and depressive symptoms across adolescence in an African Ameri-

can sample. By investigating PDT as a common family process, we also contributed to the

literature on African American families, which has focused on family pathology and dys-

function (McLoyd, 1998).

Second, we explored family structure and sociocultural moderators of the links

between PDT and youth adjustment. An ecological perspective (Bronfenbrenner, 1979)

holds that family dynamics like PDT do not have universal implications; instead, their

effects may vary as a function of both individual and contextual factors. We sought to

replicate previous research on family structure moderators of PDT in European Ameri-

can families with respect to sibling characteristics (birth order, gender, and dyad gen-

der constellation), and we extended this research by exploring two sociocultural

factors, parents’ cultural socialization practices and their experiences of financial

stress, as potential moderators of PDT-youth adjustment associations. In the following

pages, we elaborate on the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of these study

goals.

PARENTS’ DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT AND ADOLESCENT ADJUSTMENT

Social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954) holds that individuals evaluate them-

selves based on comparisons with others, with an underlying motive of enhancing self-

esteem. Sisters and brothers represent prime candidates for social comparison because

of their proximity, shared experiences and characteristics, and the fact that they are a

focus of comparison by others, such as their parents. Consistent with social comparison

theory, Adler suggested that siblings are sensitive to parents’ treatment and they

compare the quality of their own versus their sibling’s relationships with a parent

(Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). Falling short in the sibling comparison can result in

poor self-evaluations, leading to low self-worth or acting out in an attempt to gain

parents’ attention (Feinberg & Hetherington, 2001; Richmond, Stocker, & Rienks, 2005;

Shanahan et al., 2008).

Research on differential treatment in European American families has found that being

the less favored sibling has negative implications. For instance, longitudinal stud ies dem-

onstrated that decreases in parental acceptance and increases in parental negativity rela-

tive to a sibling were associated with increases in depressive symptoms and externalizing

problems (Richmond et al., 2005; Shanahan et al., 2008). Importantly, the links between

PDT and youths’ adjustment remained after taking into account dyadic parent–child rela-

tionship quality, a third variable that could explain both PDT and youths’ well-being

(Feinberg & Hetherington, 2001; Shanahan et al., 2008; Tamrouti-Makk ink, Dubas, Ger-

ris, & van Aken, 2004). These processes have not been tested in African American families,

however, and thus our goal was to replicate findings from European American samples

using a longitudinal design and assessing the links between PDT and siblings’ risky

behavior and depressive symptoms.

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