Age spacing in firstborns and symbiotic dependence.
Conflicting results concerning the affiliative personality of firstborns and later borns can be explained by considering the importance of the birth of a sibling and the age spacing between the siblings. It is particularly important to determine whether the sibling was born before or after the firstborn was 3 years old, since this age represents the period during which his individuation-separation process is completed. The birth of a sibling before this age would give rise to affiliation and succorance needs, which we propose to consider together under the name of "symbiotic dependence." Comparisons between the responses to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule given by 32 pairs of firstborns, 17-19 years old, revealed that firstborns having siblings less than 3 years younger show greater affiliation and succorance needs than firstborns not having close siblings.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001722:Birth Order; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010551:Personality; D010553:Personality Development