Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026
06:15
A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
14.0K
Sibling and Best Friend Conflict Resolution Strategies Among Mexican-origin Youth.
Jenny Padilla1, Kimberly A Updegraff2, Adriana J Umaña-Taylor3
1University of Notre Dame, Psychology Department.
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
|March 20, 2026
Summary
Adolescents use similar conflict resolution strategies with siblings and friends, indicating interpersonal skill congruence across relationships. These findings highlight the transfer of social skills between sibling and peer interactions during development.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Sibling relationships become more egalitarian during adolescence, resembling friendships.
- This shift may facilitate the transfer of interpersonal skills between siblings and friends.
- Existing research on family-peer linkages often overlooks diverse ethnoracial contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cross-relationship associations in conflict resolution strategies between siblings and friends in Mexican-origin adolescents.
- To examine mean-level differences in conflict resolution strategy use with siblings versus friends.
- To explore how conflict resolution strategies with siblings relate to those used with friends.
Main Methods:
- Utilized social learning theory to examine conflict resolution strategies.
- Collected data from 246 Mexican-origin families, including older and younger siblings.
- Employed multilevel ANOVAs and Actor-Partner Interdependence Models to analyze strategy use and associations.
Main Results:
- Adolescents generally employed more adaptive conflict resolution strategies with friends than with siblings.
- Significant positive associations were found between conflict resolution strategies used with siblings and friends, suggesting consistency across relationships.
- Controlling strategies with siblings correlated with all strategies with friends, while nonconfrontational sibling strategies negatively related to solution-oriented friend strategies.
Conclusions:
- Sibling and friend relationships play a crucial role in shaping adolescents' interpersonal skills and conflict resolution approaches.
- Findings suggest congruence in conflict resolution strategies across sibling and friend relationships, influenced by factors like intimacy, conflict, personality, and familism.
- Highlights the importance of considering sibling relationships in understanding adolescent social development and skill transfer.
Keywords:
adolescenceconflict resolutionfamily-peer connectionsfriendshipssibling relationshipsocial learning theoryMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings
232
Other adult family members and siblings play a crucial role in shaping children’s social and emotional development. While parents or primary caregivers are often the central figures in early attachment and socialization, other adults in a child’s life, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles, can significantly influence developmental outcomes. These influences depend on each adult’s personality and may help compensate when a primary caregiver is emotionally distant or...
232
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
373
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
373
04:49Robbers Cave
15.0K
During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys—termed the Rattlers and the Eagles—took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension...
15.0K
01:27Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
643
Coping strategies are methods people use to manage, tolerate, or reduce the effects of stressors. These strategies involve both behavioral and psychological actions to handle stressful situations. One common approach is problem-focused coping, which aims to change or eliminate the source of stress rather than merely addressing its consequences. This method involves taking direct action to resolve the issue causing stress.
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
643
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
685
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
685
01:20Friendships and Close Friendships
271
Friendship formation is a dynamic process shaped by psychological, cultural, and social factors. Friendships play a crucial role in emotional well-being, social development, and personal identity from childhood to adulthood.Childhood and Early FriendshipsFriendships in childhood often arise due to shared environments, such as school or neighborhood interactions. At this stage, proximity and common interests serve as the primary basis for connection. As children grow, their friendships evolve...
271