Perceptions of parenting as predictors of boys' sibling and peer relations

This study included 71 target boys (8 to 10 years), their siblings, and mothers to examine the relations among mothering, fathering, sibling aggression, and peer outcomes. Siblings whose mothers were known to be more rejecting were observed and reported to be more aggressive with one another than siblings whose mothers were less rejecting. Moreover, boys who experienced more aggressive sibling interactions were more likely to be nominated by their peers as being aggressive and were less accepted by their peers. Although fathering failed to evince a direct influence on sibling aggression, an indirect effect was evidenced in that less accepting fathering related to more rejecting mothering. It appeared that boys' aggressive experiences with their siblings mediated, in part, the association between maternal rejection and their peer aggression and that peer aggression was a mediating link between sibling aggression and boys' acceptance by their peers.