Thesis Title: Parental Differential Treatment, Sibling Relationships Quality and Psychological Wellbeing of Adolescents
Student Name: Anam Hina
Supervisor: Farah Malik, PhD
Degree: BS
Year: 2014-2018
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental differential treatment (differential maternal affection, differential maternal control, differential paternal affection and differential paternal control), sibling relationships quality (affection and hostility) and psychological wellbeing of adolescents. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between parental differential treatment, sibling relationships quality and psychological wellbeing of adolescents. Moreover, it was also hypothesized that parental differential treatment and sibling relationships quality would predict wellbeing in adolescents. Differences for gender were also examined for all study variables. The sample was consisted of (N = 200) adolescents including male (n = 98) and female (n = 102) with age range 13-18 years (M = 15.83, SD = 1.08). Cross sectional correlational research design and purposive sampling technique were used to collect data from different academies (class 9-12) in Lahore. Measures for data collection were Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience (Daniels & Plomin, 1985), Sibling Relationship Inventory (Stocker & McHale, 1992) and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (Keyes et al., 2008). Results revealed that there was positive correlation between parental differential affection and wellbeing and affection in sibling relationships and emotional wellbeing. Negative relationship was found between hostility in sibling relationship and wellbeing. Findings also indicated that differential maternal affection predicted wellbeing (emotional and psychological), differential paternal affection predicted emotional wellbeing. Affection in sibling relationship positively and hostility negatively predicted wellbeing (emotional, social and psychological). Significant gender differences were found in differential maternal affection, emotional wellbeing and psychological wellbeing. The present study had implications of parental differential treatment, sibling relationships and wellbeing in counseling settings.
Keywords: Parental differential treatment, sibling relationships quality, psychological wellbeing, adolescents.
