If
you are a sibling, it is highly likely that at one point or another in your
life, you have pushed, hit, or verbally attacked your sibling or have been the
victim yourself, especially if you are a younger sibling. This aggression can
vary in how violent the actual act is but generally it is still common among
siblings. In fact, sibling aggression is the most prevalent type of violence in
the family with researchers indicating that about 80% of children (3-17 years
old) have physically abused a sibling at least once. While to parents and
friends this may seem to be a normal part of a sibling relationship and sibling
rivalry – “oh it’s fine, my boy are just talking out their frustrations” –
recent studies have shown that the negative effects experienced by sibling
aggression are equal to those experienced through peer violence and can have
damaging consequences.
It
is important to look into factors that may contribute to sibling aggression in
order to figure out how to establish prevention programs. Research has shown
that even preschool-aged children encounter high levels of violence in a
variety of different areas in their lives. These areas include community
violence (ranging from viewing beatings to seeing someone shot), violence
within the home (violence between partners/parents), and violence seen on TV or
in movies. This exposure to multiple types of violence contribute to a large
part of the aggression towards siblings.
One
of the biggest factors contributing to a child’s aggressive behavior toward his
or her sibling is violent TV or movie exposure. Any act that includes kicking,
punching, killing, or any physical hurting defines media violence, and the
number of hours watching this violent content is also important. Much of a
child’s learning from media comes from observational learning – this is a type
of learning where the observer watches and repeats a new behavior seen by
another person. If the act is reinforced or rewarded, this will influence the
likelihood of repeating it. Community violence also has a strong relationship
to sibling aggression but only when the child is exposed to high levels of
aggression from the fathers. Research has indicated that higher depression in
the mothers can have an effect on sibling aggression.
While
violence against siblings may seem harmless and normal to sibling life, there
can be negative consequences and can be the reaction to violent media and
surroundings. Sibling aggression leads to higher levels of emotional and behavioral
problems, criminal behavior, and aggressive behavior in the future. It can also
have an influence on the attitudes related to violence with others. Together,
combined areas of violence experienced by children are associated with poor regulation
in life.
In
order to prevent or limit aggression, we need to be aware of violence from many
different areas in children’s lives instead of one single area. One of the most
critical ideas is to monitor the amount of violent TV watched and avoid violent
media altogether. However, in today’s society, this may be difficult so
limiting this exposure is key. In addition, focus should also be placed on how
parents discipline their children.
If
we can cut back the violence and aggression in our children’s lives, we can
decrease the likelihood of sibling aggression and even aggression in general.
This will give our children the best possible chance to become healthy,
productive members of society.
~ Ellen Fonte
Miller, L. E., Grabell, A., Thomas, A., Bermann, E., &
Graham-Bermann, S. A. (2012). The association
between community violence, television violence, intimate partner violence, parent-child
aggression, and aggression in sibling relationships of a sample of preschoolers.
Psychology of Violence, No Pagination
Specified.
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