THE INFLUENCE OF PARENTS AND SIBLINGS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PERSONAL PREMISE SYSTEM IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

Children's perceptions of the influence of parental and sibling responsiveness and support were investigated. The sample of 73 Caucasian participants ranging in age from 8 years 0 months to 11 years 2 months (39 first-born children and 34 third-born children) responded to the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (P-H), the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ), and the Parent Perception Inventory (PPI). Each P-H was analyzed with a stepwise multiple regression, with gender, PPI, and SRQ as independent variables. Separate analyses were completed for first-born and third-born children. Children's perceptions of the influence of parental and sibling responsiveness and support differed by birth order. For first-born children, second-born sibling warmth was a stronger predictor of self-perceptions than maternal warmth and responsiveness. Mothers' influence on first-born children's self-perceptions was mainly indirect but positive; fathers' influence was direct but negative. On the other hand, for third-born children, parental behaviors were direct and largely positive predictors of children's self-perceptions, and sibling warmth and conflict were indirect predictors of self-perceptions. Gender was not a significant predictor.