Adversities in childhood: siblings' experiences, and their relations to self-esteem.
The prevalence and negative impact of life events and adversities over a 3-year period on 80 children participating in a longitudinal study of siblings was examined. The scenarios of 256 events were rated by a child psychiatrist for negative impact on both siblings (aged 6 and 8-10 years, respectively). Only one of the 80 children had not experienced at least one major event. The majority (69%) of life events with negative impact and adversities were not shared by siblings. The relations between the impact of these adversities and children's perceived self-competence, temperament, and their mothers' mood were examined. The number of life events with negative impact was negatively correlated with children's perceived self-competence, an association apparently not mediated by children's temperament nor by maternal mood.
Beardsall
L
L
Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, U.K.
Dunn
J
J
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009679:Nuclear Family; D015995:Prevalence; D012649:Self Concept; D013694:Temperament