Although siblings are significant relationship partners and are influential on individuals’ well-being, only 2.4% of family-focused research examines siblings. The goal of this special issue is to expand the literature on sibling relationships, highlight the importance of sibling relationships across the lifespan, and promote interest in studying this unique and ubiquitous relationship. In the introduction to the special issue, we describe the selection process, and discuss the developmental periods, theoretical frameworks, populations of interest, research design, and main constructs featured in the articles included in this issue. We also give suggestions for future research on sibling relationships. The articles included in this issue move the field forward by improving upon many of the critiques of sibling relationship research.
* Articles with this symbol denote articles that were included as part of this special issue on siblings.
2.
*Aceves-PowerV.GirónS. E.KillorenS. E.Campione-BarrN. (2026). Confidants for life: Examining sibling relationship positivity and disclosure in U.S. Latinx college students while considering the role of familism. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 115–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241288263
3.
BarendseM.FlanneryJ.CavanaghC.PfeiferJ.NadelH.MichalskaK.MullinsJ.BergerE.Magis-WeinbergL.DahlR.HoT.TeresiG.DvorskyM.BreauxR.BeckerS.RoseA.RoteW.KillorenS. E.Campione-BarrN.PfeiferJ. H. (2023). Longitudinal change in mental health of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A collaborative analysis of 12 samples. Journal of Research on Adolescence: The Official Journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence, 33(1), 74–91. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12781
4.
BodenmannG. (2005). Dyadic coping and its significance for marital functioning. In RevensonT.KayserK.BodenmannG. (Eds.), Couples coping with stress: Emerging perspectives on dyadic coping (pp. 33–50). American Psychological Association.
5.
*BuistK. L.EgbertsM. R.BoelenP. A. (2026). Associations of sibling relationship quality and emotion regulation with child functioning in families with parental cancer. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 162–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241299136
6.
*CahillK. M.UpdegraffK. A. (2026). Topic trends in sibling research in the journal of social and personal relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 21–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251343336
7.
Campione-BarrN. (2017). The changing nature of power, control, and influence in sibling relationships. In Campione-BarrN. (Ed.), Power, control, and influence in sibling relationships across development (156, pp. 7–14). New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20202
8.
Campione-BarrN.KillorenS. E. (2019). Love them and hate them: The developmental appropriateness of ambivalence in the adolescent sibling relationship. Child Development Perspectives, 13(4), 221–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12345
9.
CongerK. J.KramerL. (2010). Introduction to the special section: Perspectives on sibling relationships: Advancing child development research. Child Development Perspectives, 4(2), 69–71. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2010.00120.x
10.
*CorderM. D.HallJ. A.PenningtonN.HolmstromA. J. (2026). Adult sibling relationships and media multiplexity theory. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 181–200. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241299463
11.
*DongQ.ChenB. B. (2026). Sibling warmth, self-worth, and empathy among Chinese adolescents. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241307977
12.
ElderG. H.Jr. (1994). Time, human agency, and social change: Perspectives on the life course. Social Psychology Quarterly, 57(1), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.2307/2786971
13.
GilliganM.DiggsO.NepplT. K.StockerC. M.CongerK. J. (2024). The influence of sibling relationship quality on emotional distress from adolescence to early midlife. Journal of Family Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001209
14.
GilliganM.StockerC. M.CongerK. J. (2020). Sibling relationships in adulthood: Research findings and new frontiers. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 12(3), 305–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12385
15.
*GilliganM.SuitorJ. J.HouY.KincaidR.OgleD.KimE. (2026). Adult sibling tension and psychological well-being in the context of older mothers’ health limitations: Variation by gender and race. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 282–304. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241309378
16.
*HanJ.WuR.MiaoH.YangX.XuW.GuoC. (2026). The correlation between sibling relationships and psychosocial adaptation among left-behind children in China: A latent profile analysis. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, 43(1), 474–497. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251327837
17.
HarrisK. M.HalpernC. T.WhitselE. S.HusseyJ. M.Killeya-JonesL. A.TabrJ.DeanS. C. (2019). Cohort profile: The national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health (add health). International Journal of Epidemiology, 48(5), 1415–1415k. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz115
18.
HernandezM. M.Bámaca-ColbertM. Y. (2016). A behavioral process model of familism. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 8(4), 463–483. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12166
19.
HoweN.RecchiaH. (2014). Sibling relationships as a context for learning and development. Early Education & Development, 25(2), 155–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2014.857562
20.
JensenA. C.KillorenS. E.Campione-BarrN.PadillaJ.ChenB. B. (2023). Sibling relationships in adolescence and young adulthood in multiple contexts: A critical review. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(2), 384–419. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221104188
21.
*JensenA. C.AshbyS.NoordaN. M.JaspersonJ. (2026). The more, the merrier? Young adults’ sibling relationship quality in medium to large families. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 201–228. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241302240
22.
KillorenS. E.RandallA. K.KlineG. C.AlfaroE. A.Campione-BarrN. (2023a). Correlates of Latina college students’ dyadic coping with sisters. Family Relations, 72(5), 2429–2443. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12814
23.
KillorenS. E.RoosJ.BordereT.RandallA. K.Rivero RodriguezA.AlfaroE. C.Campione-BarrN.JonesS. K. (2023b). Perceived discrimination and Latina college students’ depressive symptoms: The roles of dyadic coping with sisters and familism values. Family Process, 62(3), 1176–1195. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12822
24.
*KillorenS. E.RiveroA.BoronD.PaytonJ.CordC.Campione-BarrN.GilliganM. (2026). Parents’ psychological control and Latina young women’s depressive symptoms: Examining the role of perceived dyadic coping. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 330–352. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241312691
25.
*KinsleyC.RecchiaH.HoweN.DirksM. A. (2026). Associations between sibling relationship quality and daily interactions in early adolescence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 498–523. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251334270
26.
KramerL.BankL. (2005). Sibling relationship contributions to individual and family well-being: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Family Psychology: JFP: journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 19(4), 483–485. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.19.4.483
27.
*KramerL.DeanC. M.DeanA. A.MorganM. S. (2026). Forging one’s identity as a twin: Balancing sibling cohesion and deidentification. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 305–329. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241265474
28.
*KramerL.RavindranN.PratherK. (2026). Raising siblings is stressful: Measuring parental emotion regulation in the sibling context. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 353–374. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241312688
29.
LernerR. M.LernerJ. V.BowersE. P.GeldhofG. J. (2015). Positive youth development and relational developmental systems. In OvertonW. F.MolenaarP. C. M.LernerR. M. (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science: Theory and method (pp. 607–651). John Wiley & Sons Inc.
30.
*MaiyaS.StreitC.KlineG. C. (2025). Sibling relationship qualities and prosocial behaviors in Asian Indian college students: Intervening roles of family respect values and empathy. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 141–161. https://doi.org/10.1077/02654075241298713
31.
McHaleS. M.UpdegraffK. A.WhitemanS. D. (2012). Sibling relationships and influences in childhood and adolescence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74(5), 913–930. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.01011.x
32.
*MilevskyA. (2026). A phenomenological study of sibling non-normative death in young adulthood: Continuity, change, grief, and growth. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 452–473. https://doi.org/10.1077/02654075251326345
33.
*OsaiK. V.DorschT. E.BradfordK.WhitemanS.BlazoJ. A.DowneyH. (2026). All in the family: A collective case study of family influence on siblings’ experiences and outcomes in organized youth sport. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 429–451. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251321377
34.
ÖzbayY.MilevskyA.AydoganD.LeeJ. (2025). Sibling relationship characteristics in married young adults: A cross-cultural study of Turkey, Israel, South Korea, and the United States. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 42(7), 1703–1727. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251332700
35.
*PadillaJ.UpdegraffK. A.Umaña-TaylorA. J. (2026). Sibling and best friend conflict resolution strategies among Mexican-origin youth. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 69–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241289354
36.
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Perez-BrenaN.DuncanJ. C.BamacaM. Y.PerezR. (2022). Progress and gaps: A systematic review of the family demographics and family subsystems represented in top family science journals 2008-2018. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 14(2), 59–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12446
38.
*PersramR. J.DirksM. A.CraigW. M.RecchiaH. E. (2026). Stability of distinct relational profiles of adolescent sibling relationships and friendships: A latent transition analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 524–547. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251345283
39.
*RogersC. R.MorganD. D.DeesT. B.DisneyJ. L. (2026). The protective role of siblings in sexual diverse emerging adult well-being. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 229–259. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241303531
40.
*SonD.DuranJ. G.UpdegraffK. A.Umaña-TaylorA. J.FeinbergM. E. (2026). Daily sibling interactions among Latino children in middle childhood: An examination of familism values and sibling roles. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241288265
41.
StockerC. M.GilliganM.KlopackE. T.CongerK. J.LanthierR. P.NeppleT. K.O’NealC. W.WickramaK. A. S. (2020). Sibling relationships in older adulthood: Links with loneliness and well-being. Journal of Family Psychology: JFP: journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 34(2), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000586
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*TahmazogluS.UstunelaA. O. (2026). “If your relationship is a swamp, your sister is like a hand that pulls you out of it”: Sisterhood as a source of support on relationship issues and dating violence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 260–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241309663
44.
*VollingB. L.Beyers-CarlsonE. E. A.TanL.RosenbergL.GonzalezR. (2026). You need to take turns! sibling sharing and the emergence of conscience in early childhood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 375–402. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251316316
45.
WaiteE. B.ShanahanL.CalkinsS. D.KeaneS. P.O’BrienM. (2011). Life events, sibling warmth, and youths’ adjustment. Journal of Marriage and Family, 73(5), 902–912. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2011.00857.x
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*ZhouW.PageL. A.SerangS.WhitemanS. D. (2026). Does sibling differentiation promote relational harmony or Discord? Evidence from a longitudinal dyadic study. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 43(1), 46–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241277228
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