Department of Family Social Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada.
J Fam Psychol. 2011 Feb;25(1):19-28. doi: 10.1037/a0022428.
This research explored and compared patterns of adjustment in siblings exposed to intimate partner violence. The quality of family relationships were investigated as potential mechanisms that accounted for heterogeneity in these patterns. Participants included 47 sibling pairs and their mothers recruited from the community. Mothers and children reported on child adjustment measures and the quality of family relationships. Five cluster patterns were identified for both younger and older siblings, replicating three identified in previous research: primarily internalizing symptoms, a combination of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and an asymptomatic cluster. There was little overlap in cluster membership within families; most siblings differed in terms of their pattern of adjustment. The quality of family relationships varied significantly across clusters. Overall, asymptomatic siblings reported the most positive family relationships. Maternal warmth differed across clusters for both older and younger siblings, while maternal hostility varied across clusters for older but not younger siblings. The quality of sibling relationships also differed across clusters for older but not younger siblings. These findings underscore the importance of examining differential sibling experiences within violent families, and demonstrate the significance of family relationships as a mediating mechanism influencing heterogeneous child adjustment.
本研究探讨并比较了亲密伴侣暴力暴露下的兄弟姐妹的适应模式。家庭关系的质量被调查为解释这些模式异质性的潜在机制。参与者包括从社区招募的 47 对兄弟姐妹及其母亲。母亲和孩子报告了儿童适应措施和家庭关系的质量。为年幼和年长的兄弟姐妹确定了五个聚类模式，复制了之前研究中确定的三个模式：主要是内在症状、内在和外在症状的组合以及无症状聚类。家庭内部的聚类成员重叠很少；大多数兄弟姐妹的适应模式不同。家庭关系的质量在聚类之间差异显著。总体而言，无症状的兄弟姐妹报告了最积极的家庭关系。母亲的温暖在年长和年幼的兄弟姐妹中都因聚类而异，而母亲的敌意在年长的兄弟姐妹中因聚类而异，但在年幼的兄弟姐妹中则不然。兄弟姐妹关系的质量在年长的兄弟姐妹中也因聚类而异，但在年幼的兄弟姐妹中则不然。这些发现强调了在暴力家庭中检查不同兄弟姐妹经历的重要性，并证明了家庭关系作为影响儿童适应异质性的中介机制的重要性。
