The Mediating Role of Sibling Relationships in the Relationship Between Parental Achievement Support and Pressure and Psychological Resilience

Abstract

A healthy family climate, including parents' attitudes towards their children and the quality of sibling relationships, is essential for child resilience. One of the domains where parental attitudes are determinative is the children's academic life. In an unhealthy family climate, for instance, parental pressure for academic success may cause dysfunctional sibling relationships and low-level psychological resilience in children. The aim is to investigate the mediating role of sibling relationships in the association between parental academic achievement pressure and support and children's resilience levels. Five hundred and one children (10–14 years old) participated in the study. Children completed the Parent Academic Achievement Pressure and Support Scale (PAAPSS), Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ), Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12), and Demographic Information Form. Findings from the two different mediation models of Hayes Process Macro revealed that sibling relationship characteristics of warmth, intimacy, and status, or power, mediated the relationship between parental academic support and resilience levels. Rivalry and conflict were not significant mediators. All parental (i.e., support) and sibling relationship variables explained the 41% variance in child resilience (Model 1). Sibling relationship characteristics of warmth or intimacy, status or power, rivalry, and conflict mediated the relationship between parental academic pressure and resilience. All parental (i.e., pressure) and sibling relationship variables explained the 35% variance in child resilience (Model 2). To improve children's resilience, we propose healthier parental attitudes toward academic issues and more functional sibling relationships.