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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Reciprocal links among differential parenting, perceived partiality, and self-worth: a three-wave longitudinal study
Barbara Shebloski1, Katherine J Conger, Keith F Widaman
1Family Research Group, Department of Human and Community Development, University of California-Davis, 95616, USA. bshebloski@ucdavis.edu
Summary
Parental favoritism impacts adolescent self-worth, with birth order influencing these dynamics. Later-borns’ self-worth affects their views on parental partiality, while earlier-borns’ views on favoritism are shaped by differential treatment.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Adolescent Psychology
Background:
- Parental differential treatment (PDT) is a common family dynamic.
- Sibling relationships and birth order are key factors in adolescent development.
- Understanding perceptions of fairness is crucial for adolescent adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reciprocal relationships between PDT, sibling perceptions of partiality, and self-worth.
- To examine the moderating role of birth order in these associations.
- To provide insights into adolescent adjustment within the family context.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design with three waves of data collection.
- Inclusion of 384 adolescent sibling dyads.
- Statistical analysis to examine associations between variables.
Main Results:
- Birth order significantly correlated with self-worth and perceptions of PDT.
- Self-worth influenced later-borns' perception of parental partiality across time.
- PDT influenced earlier-borns' perception of partiality, but not vice versa.
Conclusions:
- Birth order plays a significant role in how adolescents perceive parental treatment and partiality.
- The findings highlight the complex interplay between family dynamics, individual adjustment, and birth order.
- This research contributes to understanding adolescent adjustment and the impact of perceived parental favoritism.
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