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AbstractObjectiveThis research examines links between Mexican‐origin young adults' cultural values and sibling caregiving behaviors during adolescence and responsibility in young adulthood.BackgroundResponsibility is an important marker of young adulthood, and this skill may be transmitted to youth through familism values. Familism values may guide how youth engage in behaviors (e.g., sibling caregiving), which may help foster responsibility skills during young adulthood.ResultsUsing cultural ecological framework and cultural transmission model, we examined associations among familism values, sibling caregiving, and responsibility among 219 Mexican‐origin young adults. We tested a multigroup model with path analysis based on gender and found no gender differences. Family obligation and family referent were positively associated with sibling caregiving. Family support and family referent were positively associated with responsibility. Sibling caregiving was positively associated with responsibility. We found two significant indirect effects. Familism obligation and family referent values were positively associated with sibling caregiving, which in turn was positively associated with responsibility.ConclusionFindings highlight how cultural values and sibling caregiving can be linked to responsibility during young adulthood.ImplicationsSibling caregiving during youth may provide opportunities to build valuable skills in young adulthood. Cultural values may inform family behaviors and in turn young adulthood responsibility.

Using an observational methodology to examine sibling communication, sisters (N = 28 dyads) were videotaped discussing their ideas about dating and sexuality. Social provision theory was used as a framework for the examination of roles enacted by sisters during these conversations. Inductive thematic analytic procedures were conducted, and three roles were identified: sisters as confidants, sources of support, and mentors. Older and younger sisters served as confidants and sources of support for one another, whereas older sisters were more likely to be mentors for their younger sisters than vice versa. Findings indicate the potential importance of sisters in the formation of adolescent girls' ideas about romantic relationships and sexuality, sibling communication as a socialization mechanism of sisters' similarities in romantic experiences and sexual behaviors/attitudes, and the inclusion of older sisters in prevention intervention programs focused on reducing adolescent sexual risk behaviors and promoting healthy romantic relationships and sexuality development.

AbstractThe primary goal of this study was to examine the intervening roles of prosocial moral reasoning and respect for family in associations between parent attachment and prosocial behaviors in Asian Indian young adults. Participants included 281 Asian Indian young adults (60.5% women; M age = 21.45 years). Path analyses suggested that parent attachment was positively associated with respect for family and prosocial moral reasoning. In turn, respect for family was positively associated with emotional, compliant, dire, and anonymous prosocial behaviors, while prosocial moral reasoning was positively associated with altruistic and negatively associated with public prosocial behaviors. Discussion focuses on the importance of both general and culture‐specific mechanisms in explaining links between parenting and prosocial behaviors in Asian Indian young adults.

AbstractWe used a person‐oriented approach to describe the profiles of Mexican American emerging adults' relationships with siblings using affective/behavioral qualities (e.g., positivity) and relationship maintenance strategies (e.g., communication frequency) and to examine how profiles of sibling relationships were related to dimensions of Mexican American emerging adults' familism values. Using data from 186 Mexican American emerging adults (Mage = 21.56), we conducted latent profile analyses and identified three profiles of emerging adults' relationships with siblings: moderate (n = 106), positive/involved (n = 64), and negative/distant (n = 16). Our findings suggest that the majority of emerging adults in our study reported close relationships with siblings and dimensions of familism values were differentially associated with profiles of sibling relationship qualities.

AbstractAn important task for emerging adults is the effective maintenance of sibling relationships given their importance for well‐being later in adulthood. However, little is currently known about how siblings maintain communication with one another during this developmental stage when they often live apart for the first time, or about whether different communication patterns have unique relational implications. Using a sample of first‐year college students (n = 250), the present study identified four distinct groups of emerging adults who used information and communication technologies differently in communicating with their siblings. Emerging adults who frequently used synchronous communication methods (as opposed to more passive methods) generally had more positive and self‐disclosive relationships with their siblings about a variety of topics, although there were important gender and birth order differences. Implications for college administrators and mental health professionals are discussed.

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, adolescents' typical social support systems have been disrupted. The present study examined adolescent adjustment during the pandemic (summer, 2020) while controlling for pre‐pandemic adjustment (2017–2018) in 170 youth (ages 12–20) from Missouri and Florida. We also examined whether positive and negative relationship qualities with four close others (i.e., mothers, fathers, siblings, and best friends) interacted with COVID‐related stress to impact adolescent adjustment. In general, we found that close relationships impacted adolescent adjustment in expected directions (i.e., positive relationships better for adjustment, negative relationships more detrimental), but while mothers and fathers impacted adolescent adjustment in largely similar ways to pre‐pandemic studies, influences of relationships with best friends and sibling were more impacted by COVID‐related stress.

This study examined method and frequency of sibling communication among Mexican American college students (N = 186) and associations between relationship quality and sibling communication. Findings revealed that siblings were most likely to communicate face‐to‐face and by text and least likely to communicate using video chat and e‐mail. Further, sisters were more likely than brothers to call and text one another, and sisters communicated more frequently than older brother–younger sister dyads. Familism moderated the relation between sibling intimacy and frequency of communication, showing a stronger positive association for those with low (compared to high) familism values. Our findings reveal that values central to the importance of family and orientations to Mexican culture are protective for maintaining sibling communication when siblings report negativity in their relationships. Results highlight the need to consider sibling structural characteristics and the cultural context when studying relationship dynamics among Mexican American college students and their siblings.

Given the salience of sibling relationships for Mexican American individuals, we examined the role of sibling support in the associations between discrimination, ethnic identity (EI), and the adjustment of Mexican American college students ( N = 171, 80.7% female, Mage = 21.6 years). Findings revealed that under conditions of high sibling support, discrimination was positively associated with EI resolution, which, in turn, was positively associated with self-esteem. Under conditions of low sibling support, discrimination was negatively associated with EI affirmation, which, in turn, was positively associated with self-esteem. Under conditions of low sibling support, there was a negative association between discrimination and EI affirmation, which, in turn, was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the processes by which discrimination is associated with adjustment and the protective role of sibling support for Mexican American college students experiencing discrimination.

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined Latina college students' perceptions of sisters' dyadic coping behaviors following stress disclosure, and how dyadic coping behaviors were associated with sibling relationship characteristics and familism values.BackgroundSibling relationships are protective when college students experience adversity.MethodThe sample included 195 Latina college students (Mage = 23.25 years, SD = 1.93) and path analysis was conducted to address the study goals.ResultsLatina college students perceived high levels of supportive, delegated, and common dyadic coping behaviors and moderate levels of negative dyadic coping behaviors from their sisters. Latina college students who lived with their sisters perceived more delegated dyadic coping behaviors than those who lived apart. Sibling intimacy was positively associated with perceptions of sisters' supportive, delegated, and common dyadic coping, but was not associated with negative dyadic coping behaviors. Sibling negativity was negatively associated with perceptions of sisters' supportive and common dyadic coping behaviors and positively associated with perceptions of sisters' negative dyadic coping behaviors. Further, Latina college students' stronger endorsement of familism values was associated with greater perceptions of sisters' supportive, delegated, and common dyadic coping behaviors.ConclusionOverall, our study showed that Latina college students perceived dyadic coping behaviors from their sisters, which were associated with aspects of their sibling relationship and their endorsement of familism values.ImplicationsContinuing to examine dyadic coping in siblings is important as it may have implications for family‐focused prevention and intervention programs.

This study aimed to examine changes in depression and anxiety symptoms from before to during the first 6 months of the COVID‐19 pandemic in a sample of 1,339 adolescents (9–18 years old, 59% female) from three countries. We also examined if age, race/ethnicity, disease burden, or strictness of government restrictions moderated change in symptoms. Data from 12 longitudinal studies (10 U.S., 1 Netherlands, 1 Peru) were combined. Linear mixed effect models showed that depression, but not anxiety, symptoms increased significantly (median increase = 28%). The most negative mental health impacts were reported by multiracial adolescents and those under 'lockdown' restrictions. Policy makers need to consider these impacts by investing in ways to support adolescents' mental health during the pandemic.