Sibling abuse: The role of familial intervention and its effects on familial contact

Sibling abuse is a prevalent and reoccurring issue in the United States, yet little statistical data exists on the subject. Knowledge of sibling abuse and its association with various negative psychological outcomes such as depression, suicide, continued violence in marriages and an overall negative self-concept have been addressed in the literature. Information that appears to be lacking in this area of research is the result it can have on various family relationships, the relationship with bystander intervention and the effect that parental modeling of violent behavior has on the child and their actions. It is important to acknowledge the effects that sibling abuse can have on individuals and how this affects them in adulthood, but it is necessary to identify what allows this behavior to occur and continue in order to advocate for the implementation of a reporting system and laws to protect children involved in these abusive sibling situations. 697 respondents were surveyed from a Southwestern university. The analysis found that as awareness of sibling abuse increases, the likelihood of intervention by the respondent increased, additionally, the analysis found that if parents/guardians did not respond to sibling abuse within the home then respondents were less likely to intervene when witnessing sibling abuse as an adult. Finally, the analysis found that if respondents witnessed their parents engaging in acts of physical and psychological violence, they were more likely to behave in the same way towards their sibling.