Longitudinal linkages between adolescent and sibling depressive symptoms and perceived sibling relationship quality

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined whether adolescent depressive symptoms were best predicted by sibling depressive symptoms or by perceived relationship quality (i.e. support, conflict and power) over time. We researched whether perceived sibling relationship quality moderated the effect of sibling depressive symptoms on adolescent depressive symptoms. Furthermore, we examined whether birth order, adolescent gender and dyadic gender composition moderated these effects. Across six waves, 412 Dutch adolescents (57% boys; Mage = 13.02, SDage = .43) and their siblings reported on their own depressive symptoms. Adolescents also reported on perceived support, conflict and power from sibling. Crosslagged panel analyses showed that only sibling depressive symptoms predicted adolescent depressive symptoms over time. This longitudinal effect of sibling depressive symptoms on adolescent depressive symptoms was not moderated by perceived sibling relationship quality. Moreover, the longitudinal effects of sibling depressive symptoms and perceived relationship quality on adolescent depressive symptoms were not moderated by birth order, adolescent gender or dyadic gender composition. Our results indicate that especially sibling depressive symptoms should be taken into account as a risk factor for depressive symptoms during adolescence.