Monkey See, Monkey Do: Sibling Influence on Adolescent Risk Taking

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Monkey See, Monkey DoSibling Influence on
Adolescent Risk Taking

• Penelope Scow
• Adolescent Risk Taking (Psych 4900)
• Weber State University

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INTRODUCTION

• Do siblings have an influence on each others
  participation in risk taking?
• Are the influences biological?
• Are the influences environmental?
• Or is it a combination of both?
• Three studies are reviewed that demonstrate the
  influence that siblings might have on each other
• Stallings et al. (1999) and Hans et al. (1999)
  look at the genetic influences.
• East Khoo (2005) display the specific
  relational qualities.

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Stallings et al. (1999)

• Stallings et al. (1999) examine environmental and
  genetic factors influencing both the onset of
  alcohol/tobacco use and the latency between first
  and regular use.
• 1287 twin pairs (50-96 yrs.) completed
  questionnaires, retrospectively.
• Shared environmental factors appear to be more
  influential to risk taking than do genetics.

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Han, McGue, Iacono (1999)

• Han, McGue, Iacono examined the extent to which
  genetics and shared environmental factors
  contribute to substance use.
• 501 twin pairs (17-18 yrs.) took a computerized
  questionnaire regarding the use or non-use of
  alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.
• Similar to the Stallings et al. (1999) findings,
  this study found that shared environmental
  factors played a bigger role in adolescent risk
  taking than did genetics.

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East Khoo (2005)

• East Khoo (2005) examined certain relationship
  qualities that may predict adolescent substance
  use and risky sexual behaviors.
• 227 Latino and Black families participated in a 5
  yr. longitudinal study.
• All older siblings were female (15-19 yrs) and
  112 were mothers themselves.
• Specific aspects of the sibling relationship did
  mediate younger siblings risk taking behavior.

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CONCLUSION

• While genetics play a small role, it seems that
  shared environmental factors and relationship
  characteristics play a much bigger role.
• Single parent household, warmth/closeness and
  conflict levels of the sibling relationship, and
  older sisters involvement in the risks influence
  adolescent risk taking.
• FUTURE STUDY
• Might examine how the five different types of
  sibling relationships may produce an effect on
  adolescent risk taking.

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REFERENCES

• East, P., Khoo, S. (2005)
• Longitudinal Pathways Linking Family Factors and
  Sibling Relationship Qualities to Adolescent
  Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors. Journal
  of Family Psychology, 19 (4), 571-580
• Han, C., McGue, M., Iacono, W. (1999)
• Lifetime tobacco, alcohol, and other substance
  use in adolescent Minnesota twins univariate and
  multivariate behavioral genetic analyses.
  Addiction, 94 (7), 981-993
• Stallings, M., Hewitt, J., Beresford, T., Heath,
  A., Eaves, L. (1999)
• A Twin Study of Drinking and Smoking Onset and
  Latencies from First Use to Regular Use.
  Behavior Genetics, 29 (6), 409-421