Experiences With Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence in Childhood and Adult Attachment in a Sample of Lesbian,Gay,and Bisexual Individuals

Abstract

To the best of our knowledge, no research has been conducted specifically examining the influence of physical and emotional sibling violence on adult attachment in lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory research study using survey methods and asked a sample of 150 participants about their experiences with physical and emotional sibling violence in childhood and attachment in close relationships in adulthood. We found an association between physical and emotional sibling violence and closeness to and dependency on others in adulthood, but no association with fear of abandonment and rejection by others. Implications include the need for psychoeducation and for practitioners to assess for physical and emotional sibling violence when working with individuals and families with members who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

Keywords

abuse/neglect/violence subjects of practice family violence adult development across the lifespan sibling relationships family systems and functioning LGBTQ issues

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ainsworth

M. D.

(1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44(4), 709–716. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.44.4.709

Argüello

T. M.

La Torre

J. C.

Dentato

M. P.

Smith

M. C.

(2022). Identity development and coming out. In Dentato

M. P.

(Ed.), Social work practice with the LGBTQ community: The intersection of history, health, mental health and policy factors (2nd ed., pp. 117–159). Oxford Press.

Becker

Cortina

K. S.

Tsai

Y.-M.

Eccles

J. S.

(2014). Sexual orientation, psychological well-being, and mental health: A longitudinal analysis from adolescence to young adulthood. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1(2), 132–145. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000038

Berk

L. E.

(2023). Development through the lifespan (7th ed.). Sage.

Bowes

Wolke

Joinson

Lereya

S. T.

Lewis

(2014). Sibling bullying and risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm: A prospective cohort study. Pediatrics, 134(4), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-0832

Bowlby

(1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.

Bowlby

(1977). The making and breaking of affectional bonds. II. Some principles of psychotherapy. The fiftieth Maudsley lecture. British Journal of Psychiatry, 130(5), 421–431. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.130.5.421

Bowlby

(1988). A secure base: Parent–child attachment and healthy human development. Basic Books.

Brumbaugh

C. C.

(2017). Transferring connections: Friend and sibling attachments’ importance in the lives of singles. Personal Relationships, 24(3), 534–549. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12195

10.

Brussoni

M. J.

(2000). We are family: Sibling attachment relationships among young adults [Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia]. https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0089748

11.

Buist

K. L.

Deković

Meeus

van Aken

M. A. G.

(2002). Developmental patterns in adolescent attachment to mother, father and sibling. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31(3), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015074701280

12.

Cicirelli

(1982). Sibling influence throughout the lifespan. In Lamb

Sutton-Smith

(Eds.), Sibling relationships (pp. 267–284). Lawrence Erlbaum.

13.

Collins

N. L.

(1996). Working models of attachment: Implications for explanation, emotion, and behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(4), 810–832. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.71.4.810

14.

Collins

N. L.

Read

S. J.

(1990). Adult attachment, working models, and relationship quality in dating couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(4), 644–663. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.4.644

15.

Craft

S. M.

Serovich

J. M.

McKenry

P. C.

Lim

J. Y.

(2008). Stress, attachment style, and partner violence among same-sex couples. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 4(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15504280802084456

16.

Ditzen

Schmidt

Strauss

Nater

U. M.

Ehlert

Heinrichs

(2008). Adult attachment and social support interact to reduce psychological but not cortisol responses to stress. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64(5), 479–486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.11.011

17.

Doughty

S. E.

Lam

C. B.

Stanik

C. E.

McHale

S. M.

(2014). Links between sibling experiences and romantic competence from adolescence through young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44(11), 2054–2066. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-014-0177-9

18.

Dunn

(2014). Siblings. In Grusec

J. E.

Hastings

P. D.

(Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (2nd ed., pp. 182–201). Guilford Publications. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/luc/detail.action?docID=1768753

19.

Dutton

D. G.

White

K. R.

(2012). Attachment insecurity and intimate partner violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17(5), 475–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.07.003

20.

Feinberg

M. E.

Solmeyer

A. R.

McHale

S. M.

(2011). The third rail of family systems: Sibling relationships, mental and behavioral health, and preventive intervention in childhood and adolescence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 15(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-011-0104-5

21.

Finkelhor

Turner

H. A.

Shattuck

Hamby

S. L.

(2015). Prevalence of childhood exposure to violence, crime, and abuse: Results from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence. JAMA Pediatrics, 169(8), 746–754. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0676

22.

Fontanesi

D’Urso

Panzeri

Pace

(2020). The role of attachment style in predicting emotional abuse and sexual coercion in gay and lesbian people: An explorative study. Sexuality & Culture, 24, 504–515. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09643-1

23.

Fraley

R. C.

Gillath

Deboeck

P. R.

(2021). Do life events lead to enduring changes in adult attachment styles? A naturalistic longitudinal investigation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120(6), 1567–1606. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000326

24.

Fraley

R. C.

Roisman

G. I.

(2019). The development of adult attachment styles: Four lessons. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 26–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.02.008

25.

Fraley

R. C.

Tancredy

C. M.

(2012). Twin and sibling attachment in a nationally representative sample. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(3), 308–316. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167211432936

26.

Gemberling

T. M.

Cramer

R. J.

Miller

R. S.

Stroud

C. H.

Noland

R. M.

Graham

(2015). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity as a moderator of relationship functioning after sexual assault. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(20), 3431–3452. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514563834

27.

Glatz

Källström

Å.

Hellfeldt

Thunberg

(2019). Physical violence in family sub-systems: Links to peer victimization and long-term emotional and behavioral problems. Journal of Family Violence, 34(5), 423–433. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896018-0029-6

28.

Greif

G. L.

Woolley

M. E.

(2016). Adult sibling relationships. Columbia University Press.

29.

Haxhe

Cerezo

Bergfeld

Walloch

J. C.

(2017). Siblings and the coming-out process: A comparative case study. Journal of Homosexuality, 65(4), 407–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1321349

30.

Hilton

A. N.

Szymanski

D. M.

(2011). Family dynamics and changes in sibling of origin relationship after lesbian and gay sexual orientation disclosure. Contemporary Family Therapy, 33(3), 291–309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-011-9157-3

31.

Howe

Recchia

(2014). Sibling relationships as a context for learning and development. Early Education and Development, 25, 155–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2014.857562

32.

Hutchison

E. D.

(2018). Dimensions of human behavior: The changing life course (6th ed.). Sage.

33.

Kelly

B. L.

Gates

T. G.

(2022). LGBTQ+ affirming, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practice. In Dentato

M. P.

(Ed.), Social work practice with the LGBTQ community: The intersection of history, health, mental health and policy factors (2nd ed., pp. 286–301). Oxford Press.

34.

Kim

J.-Y.

McHale

S. M.

Crouter

A. C.

Osgood

D. W.

(2007). Longitudinal linkages between sibling relationships and adjustment from middle childhood through adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 43(4), 960–973. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.4.960

35.

Longares

Escartín

Barrientos

Álvaro Rodríguez-Carballeira

(2020). Insecure attachment and perpetration of psychological abuse in same-sex couples: A relationship moderated by outness. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 17, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-018-0363-8

36.

Martinez

McDonald

(2016). By the hands of our brothers: An exploration of sibling-to-sibling aggression for victimized heterosexual and sexual minority women. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 12(3), 242–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/1550428X.2015.1041069

37.

Martinez

McDonald

(2021a). Childhood familial victimization: An exploration of gender and sexual identity using the Scale of Negative Family Interactions. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(3–4), 1119–1140. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517739289

38.

Martinez

McDonald

(2021b). Inter-sibling violence as a mechanism of hegemony: Retrospective accounts from a non-binary and LGBTQ+ sample in the United States. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 5(2), 215–229. https://doi.org/10.1332/239868020X16091677096875

39.

Maunder

R. G.

Hunter

J. J.

(2001). Attachment and psychosomatic medicine: Developmental contributions to stress and disease. Psychosomatic Medicine, 63(4), 556–567. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-200107000-00006

40.

Maunder

R. G.

Lancee

W. J.

Nolan

R. P.

Hunter

J. J.

Tannenbaum

D. W.

(2006). The relationship of attachment insecurity to subjective stress and autonomic function during standardized acute stress in healthy adults. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60(3), 283–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.08.013

41.

Melby

J. N.

Conger

R. D.

Fang

S.-A.

Wickrama

K. A. S.

Conger

K. J.

(2008). Adolescent family experiences and educational attainment during early adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 44(6), 1519–1536. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013352

42.

Meyer

I. H.

(2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 674–697. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674

43.

Mikulincer

Shaver

P. R.

(2016). Attachment in adulthood (2nd ed.). Guilford Publications.

44.

Milevsky

(2016). Sibling issues in therapy. Palgrave Macmillan.

45.

Milevsky

(2019). Sibling dynamics in adulthood: A qualitative analysis. Marriage & Family Review, 56(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2019.1655127

46.

Montgomery

S. A.

Stewart

A. J.

(2012). Privileged allies in lesbian and gay rights activism: Gender, generation, and resistance to heteronormativity. Journal of Social Issues, 68(1), 162–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2012.01742.x

47.

Noland

V. J.

Liller

K. D.

McDermott

R. J.

Coulter

M. L.

Seraphine

A. E.

(2004). Is adolescent sibling violence a precursor to college dating violence? American Journal of Health Behavior, 28(1), S13–S23.

48.

Pachankis

J. E.

Mahon

C. P.

Jackson

S. D.

Fetzner

B. K.

Bränström

(2020). Sexual orientation concealment and mental health: A conceptual and meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 146(10), 831–871. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000271

49.

Palitsky

Mota

Afifi

T. O.

Downs

A. C.

Sareen

(2013). The association between adult attachment study, mental disorders, and suicidality. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 201(7), 579–586. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e31829829ab

50.

Peng

Wang

Cheng

Qiu

Liu

(2022). Co-occurrence of sibling and peer bullying victimization and depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents: The role of sexual orientation. Child Abuse & Neglect, 131, 105684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105684

51.

Perkins

N. H.

(2014). Parental perceptions and experiences of physical and emotional violence between siblings: A mixed-methods, comparative case study (Publication No. 3620154) [Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Commonwealth University]. ProQuest.

52.

Perkins

N. H.

Coles

D. C.

O’Connor

M. K.

(2017). Physical and emotional sibling violence and policy: An examination of Fox-Harding’s child care value perspectives. Child & Youth Services, 38(1), 4–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2016.1166947

53.

Perkins

N. H.

Lees

E. R.

(2023). Physical and emotional sibling violence in childhood and attachment in close relationships in adulthood. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(19–20), 11186–11219. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605231179723

54.

Plamondon

Bouchard

Lachance-Grzela

(2021). Family dynamics and young adults’ well-being: The mediating role of sibling bullying. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(9–10), NP5362–NP5384. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518800313

55.

Ratliff

G. A.

Kelly

B. L.

(2022). Strengths-affirming practice with LGBTQ+ youth. In Dentato

M. P.

(Ed.), Social work practice with the LGBTQ community: The intersection of history, health, mental health and policy factors (2nd ed., pp. 184–208). Oxford Press.

56.

Ravitz

Maunder

Hunter

Sthankiya

Lancee

(2010). Adult attachment measures: A 25-year review. Journal of Psychometric Research, 69, 419–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.08.006

57.

Ryan

Huebner

Diaz

R. M.

Sanchez

(2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in White and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics, 123(1), 346–352. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-3524

58.

Ryan

Russell

S. T.

Huebner

Diaz

Sanchez

(2010). Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23(4), 205–213. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6171.2010.00246.x

59.

Sang

S. A.

Nelson

J. A.

(2017). The effect of siblings on children’s social skills and perspective taking. Infant and Child Development, 26(6), Article e2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2023

60.

Sellars

Oliver

B. R.

Bowes

(2023). Children’s resilience to sibling victimization: The role of family, peer, school, and neighborhood factors. Development and Psychopathology, 1–15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579423001323

61.

Shepherd

Goedeke

Landon

Taylor

Williams

(2021). The impact of sibling relationships on later-life psychological and subjective well-being. Journal of Adult Development, 28, 76–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-020-09350-4

62.

Simonelli

C. J.

Mullis

Elliot

A. N.

Pierce

T. W.

(2002). Abuse by siblings and subsequent experiences of violence within the dating relationship. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17(2), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260502017002001

63.

Simoni

J. M.

Walters

K. L.

(2001). Heterosexual identity and heterosexism: Recognizing privilege to reduce prejudice. Journal of Homosexuality, 41(1), 157–172. https://doi.org/10.1300/J082v41n01_06

64.

Spittlehouse

J. K.

Boden

J. M.

Horwood

L. J.

(2020). Sexual orientation and mental health over the life course in a birth cohort. Psychological Medicine, 50(8), 1348–1355. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291719001284

65.

Sterzing

P. R.

Gartner

R. E.

Goldbach

J. T.

McGeough

B. L.

Ratliff

G. A.

Johnson

K. C.

(2019). Polyvictimization prevalence rates for sexual and gender minority adolescents: Breaking down the silos of victimization research. Psychology of Violence, 9(4), 419–430. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000123

66.

Stormshak

E. A.

Bellanti

C. J.

Bierman

K. L.

(1996). The quality of sibling relationships and the development of social competence and behavioral control in aggressive children. Developmental Psychology, 32(1), 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.32.1.79

67.

Tamm

Kasearu

Tulviste

(2014). The role of family in adolescents’ peer acceptance. Personal Relationships, 21(3), 420–432. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12041

68.

Teti

D. M.

Ablard

K. E.

(1989). Security of attachment and infant-sibling relationships: A laboratory study. Child Development, 60(6), 1519–1528. https://doi.org/10.2307/1130940

69.

Toomey

R. B.

Richardson

R. A.

(2009). Perceived sibling relationships of sexual minority youth. Journal of Homosexuality, 56(7), 849–860. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918360903187812

70.

Toseeb

Wolke

(2022). Sibling bullying: A prospective longitudinal study of associations with positive and negative mental health during adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51(5), 940–955. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01495-z

71.

Tucker

C. J.

Finkelhor

Shattuck

A. M.

Turner

(2013). Prevalence and correlates of sibling victimization types. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(4), 213–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.01.006

72.

Tucker

C. J.

Finkelhor

Turner

(2018). Family adversity’s role in the onset and termination of childhood sibling victimization. Psychology of Violence, 8(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000087

73.

Tucker

C. J.

Finkelhor

Turner

(2024). Patterns of sibling aggression and mental health in childhood and adolescence. Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody & Child Development, 21(1), 2–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/26904586.2023.2234369

74.

Tucker

C. J.

Van Gundy

Sharp

E. H.

Rebellon

(2015). Physical health of adolescent perpetrators of sibling aggression. Journal of Adolescence, 45, 171–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.09.007

75.

van Bergen

D. D.

Wilson

B. D. M.

Russel

S. T.

Gordon

A. G.

Rothblum

E. D

. (2021). Parental responses to coming out by lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or two-spirited people across three age cohorts. Journal of Marriage and Family, 83(4), 1116–1133. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12731

76.

Waite

E. B.

Shanahan

Calkins

S. D.

Keane

S. P.

O’Brien

(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

77.

Walęcka-Matyja

K. K.

(2017). Relationship with siblings as a predictor of empathy and humor styles in early adulthood. Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 19(3), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.12740/APP/76339

78.

Whelan

D. J.

(2003). Using attachment theory when placing siblings in foster care. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 20(1), 21–36. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1021463302680

79.

Whiteman

S. D.

Christiansen

(2008). Processes of sibling influence in adolescence: Individual and family correlates. Family Relations, 57(1), 24–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2007.00480.x

80.

Whiteman

S. D.

McHale

S. M.

Soli

(2011). Theoretical perspectives on sibling relationships. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 3(2), 124–139. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-2589.2011.00087.x

81.

Wiehe

V. R.

(1997). Sibling abuse: Hidden physical, emotional, and sexual trauma (2nd ed.). Sage.

82.

Wittgens

Fischer

M. M.

Buspavanich

Theobald

Schweizer

Trautmann

(2022). Mental health in people with minority sexual orientations: A meta-analysis of population-based studies. Acta Pscyhiatrica Scandinavica, 145(4), 315–418. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13405

83.

Zukow-Goldring

(2008). Sibling caregiving. In Borstein

M. H.

(Ed.), Handbook of parenting (2nd ed., pp. 253–286). Taylor & Francis.