Parenting and Relationship Predictors of Adult Siblings Collaborating in the Care of Aging Parents

Background:  As people age, seniors and their families often need to make significant decisions regarding such central issues as living situation, support services, and healthcare. Adult siblings are often called upon to collaborate in making such decisions for or with their parents and to implement the plans that emerge from those decisions.  The current study examined what factors, in both childhood and adulthood, predict collaboration among siblings in making such consequential decisions in the care of their aging parents.

Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, 262 respondents 40-years-old and over with at least one living sibling were surveyed.  Respondents completed a 104-item questionnaire that included multiple question scales about the nature of the parenting they and their siblings received in childhood and how those parent-sibling interactions operate currently. We also asked respondents questions about the nature of their relationships with their siblings both during childhood and currently. All these survey questions had a 5-point Likert response set from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Respondents were also asked about how often they agree on decisions about how to care for aging parents (4-point response set, very often to never).

Our hypotheses were that: 1) parenting across time will impact sibling relationships across time; and 2) sibling relationships in adulthood will, in turn, impact consensus decision making among adult siblings in the care of aging parents. Based on that hypothetical model, we estimated a path model in AMOS 22, with multiple survey item latent variables for: Positive Parenting, Negative Parenting Childhood, Negative Parenting Now, Positive Sibling Relationships Childhood, Positive Sibling Relationships Now, Negative Sibling Relationships Childhood, and Negative Sibling Relationships Now. The outcome was a survey item about siblings agreeing on parent care.

Results: The path model confirmed our hypothetical model. Positive Parenting predicted Positive Sibling Relationships in Childhood (β=0.95, p<.01), which in turn predicted Positive Sibling Relationships Now (β=0.62, p<.01), and ultimately predicted increased Agreeing on Parental Care (β=0.43, p<.01). Negative Parenting in Childhood predicted both Negative Sibling Relationships in Childhood (β=0.58, p<.01) and Negative Parenting Now (β=0.94, p<.01). In turn, Negative Parenting Now predicted decreased Agreeing on Parental Care (β=0.-.39, p<.01). Likewise, Negative Sibling Relationships in Childhood predicted Negative Sibling Relationships Now (β=0.60, p<.01), which in turn predicted decreased Agreeing on Parental Care (β=-0.17, p<.05).

Implications: Our measurement of negative parenting included such dynamics as showing favoritism, interfering in sibling relationships, and being upset about the sibling relationships. In line with Family Systems Theory, the implications for creating dysfunctional sibling and parent-children relationships are clear. Parenting that engages in such toxic dynamics in both childhood and adulthood will increase the likelihood of siblings not working well together when making decisions in the care of those aging parents. Conversely, parenting that is supportive of positive sibling relationships and avoids the detrimental behaviors can lead to sibling relationships that are trusting and mutually helpful in both childhood and adulthood, increasing the likelihood that sibling sets will reach consensus decisions in the care of aging parents.