Adversities in childhood: siblings' experiences, and their relations to self-esteem

The prevalence and negative impact of life events and adversities over a 3-year period on 80 children participating in a longitudinal study of siblings was examined. The scenarios of 256 events were rated by a child psychiatrist for negative impact on both siblings (aged 6 and 8-10 years, respectively). Only one of the 80 children had not experienced at least one major event. The majority (69%) of life events with negative impact and adversities were not shared by siblings. The relations between the impact of these adversities and children's perceived self-competence, temperament, and their mothers' mood were examined. The number of life events with negative impact was negatively correlated with children's perceived self-competence, an association apparently not mediated by children's temperament nor by maternal mood.