Associations of Perceived Sibling and Parent-Child Relationship Quality With Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Comparing Indian and Dutch Early Adolescents
The Journal of Early Adolescence
Published online on June 09, 2016
Abstract
The aims of the present study were (a) to examine whether Dutch and Indian early adolescents differ concerning sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems, and (b) to compare the associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems for Indian and Dutch early adolescents. Our sample consisted of 274 Dutch (mean age = 10.9 years) and 236 Indian early adolescents (mean age = 10.8 years). Questionnaires were administered in the final grades of 15 Dutch primary schools and six Indian English-language middle schools. Indian early adolescents reported more sibling warmth and parental negative interaction than Dutch early adolescents. However, associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems were similar. Our study indicates that cross-cultural differences may exist in quality of sibling and parent-child relationships, but not in their impact on externalizing and internalizing problems. More cross-cultural research concerning family relationship quality and its impact on early adolescent psychosocial development is needed to confirm our findings.