1. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
1
Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Lisa Torres
Grand Canyon University: COM-451
Professor Danaher
December 10th
, 2015

2. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Friend and adult self-disclosure has had an extensive amount of research; however, there
has hardly been any research done on self-disclosure between siblings, specifically middle
childhood and adolescence. Middle childhood and adolescence is a very important period for
social/emotional development for siblings because they are learning how to manage
communication in certain social relations whether it would be at school, with family, or friends
and the role they play as a recipient of disclosure. From previous research done, there has not
been a substantial quantity on the kinds of information that siblings disclose to each other using
the Social Penetration Theory, which specifically focuses on the types of stages of self-disclosure
in relationships.
Review of Literature
Our relationships with our siblings will be the longest relationships of our entire lives,
even more so than with our parents (Baker, 2014). These relationships are meaningful and a
never ending effect on our lives (Baker, 2014). Self-disclosure, the revealing of your innermost
being, your views, and emotions, is now seen as a crucial element of adult and adolescent
relationships (Jourard, 1958). There has been many studies on friend and adult relationship self-
disclosure (e.g., Collins & Miller, 1994; Rotenberg, 1995), however, there has been minor
research done on sibling self-disclosure (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, & Bukowski, 1995).
Previous research shows that brothers and sisters assumably disclose private and personal
information (Dun, 1993). With the exclusive mutual sharing and correlative characteristics that
go on between siblings, the highly influential exchanges, and children’s communal foundational
history (Hinde, 1979), proposes a very fitting situation for the growth of learning how to
properly self-disclose. According to Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux,
“Sibling-directed self-disclosure was studied in a sample of 40 children in grades 5 and 6 (boys =
2

3. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
22, girls = 18; M age = 11.5 yr; 20 with an older sibling, 20 with a younger sibling” (e.g., Howe,
Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux, 2000). Also, “Warmth in the sibling relationship
was the strongly associated with sibling disclosure (interview), but not with rivalry, strife, or
power (based upon the questionnaire)” (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, &
Lehoux, 2000). Warmth was also the strongest indicator of the interview quota of disclosure
between siblings than descriptions of taking part in either correlative or complementary sibling
intercommunication (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux, 2000). Self-
disclosure, specifically with middle childhood and early adolescence, has received little
attention. This is a very important time for social and emotional development, specifically how
to self-disclose/be a receiver of self-disclosure. Studies show that younger school-aged children
are more likely to disclose to their parents while teen girls were inclined to disclose with their
friends (Buhrmester & Furman, 1987). In addition, Franzoi and Davis (1985), discovered that
teen girls self-disclosed more with their friends and mothers; however, there were no noticeable
gender differences for disclosure to fathers (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, &
Lehoux, 2000). Also, interestingly, “Buhrmester & Furman (1987) did not notice any
developmental differences in sibling self-disclosure over middle childhood and early
adolescence” (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux, 2000). Instead, siblings
are seen as a consistent avenue for many children, pointing out that sequences of self-disclosure
may come early between the sibling’s conversations (Buhrmester, 1992). Children disclosed on
the recurrence and amount of detailed conversations with a variation of family and extra familial
persons; yet, did not necessarily identify the amount of emotional encouragement they received.
There are questions unanswered about what specifically the type of information siblings disclose
about, such as academic success and friendship (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, &
3

4. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Lehoux, 2000). Female siblings, unlike male siblings, put a greater focus on intimacy, as well as
involed in more vulnerable conversations with friends and parents (e.g., Buhrmester & Praeger,
1995). Also, “same-sex dyads revealed more warmth and closeness than opposite-sex dyads did”
(Furman & Buhrmester, 1985); however, the relations between sibling warmth and self-
disclosure are not as thorough. It is possible that children who feel emphatically and warmly
about their brothers or sisters might be more incline to disclose vulnerabilities and seek out
emotional encouragement, specifically in middle childhood, while teens may look to their friends
for encouragement (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux, 2000). Girls
reported to look for more encouragement from their siblings than do boys and noticed deeper
familiarity with sisters than with brothers; boys did not have any differences in the amount of
familiarity regardless of the sibling’s gender. Sisters that are older were more likely to be the
recipient of self-disclosures (e.g., Buhrmester, 1992). These findings also show that females are
mostly equipped to be more emotionally sensitive and focused on their social relationships more
than males (e.g., Berg, 1987). In summary, siblings do participate in intimate conversations and
act as a very important source for emotional stability, but the relational circumstances that create
the way for such processes are not fully answered (e.g., Howe, Aquan-Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi,
& Lehoux, 2000). There are several fascinating accounts to suppose that some brother/sister
relationships disclose more so than others do. Yet, there are still a substantial amount of un-
answered questions surrounding the particular characteristics in the occurrence and kinds of
vulnerable responses, as well as relations with quality of the sibling relationships and attitudes
that would possibly encourage or discourage vulnerable conversations (e.g., Howe, Aqaun-
Assee, Bukowski, Rinaldi, & Lehoux, 2000).
4

5. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Methods
The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of reoccurrence and structure of
sibling self-disclosure, specifically, in middle childhood and early adolescence. However, this
study has not focused on the types of information siblings disclose to each other. Therefore,
using the five stages of self-disclosure from the Social Penetration Theory, I will conduct a 15-20
questionnaire with questions that are in relation to self-disclosure. The questionnaire will be
given to 20 5th
and 6th
grade children, paired with their sibling that was the closest in age range,
who would be the recipient sibling. This could be done by giving the questionnaire to the
children in their classroom, which could measure the depth of their conversations with the
recipient sibling. Next, each child could be taken into a separate room to be interviewed focusing
on the recipients (parents, friends, etc.) and various topics (school, friendship issues, etc.) of self-
disclosures, adding other different types of behaviors (conflicts, etc.). Finally, these interviews
would be audiotaped and every children would be given a colored folder with a checklist inside
for them to write down if they have or have not disclosed to their sibling about any type of issue
or topic and describe the quality of their daily, disclosed conversations. The children would also
be given a treat or reward for their participation.
5

6. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
References
Baker, J. (2014). Sibling relationships at work. Psychodynamic Practice, 20(1), 28-39.
doi: 10.1080/14753634.2014.868156
BERG, J. H. (1987). Responsiveness and self-disclosure. In V. J. Derlega & J. H. Berg (Eds.),
Self-disclosure: Theory, research, and therapy. New York: Plenum
BUHRMESTER, D. (1992). The developmental courses of sibling and peer relationships. In F.
Boer& J. Dunn (Eds.), Children's sibling relationships: Developmental and clinical issues.
Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
BUHRMESTER, D., &. FURMAN, W. (1987). The development of companionship and
intimacy. Child Development, 58, 1101-1113
BUHRMESTER, D., & PRAEGER, K. (1995). Patterns and functions of self-disclosure during
Childhood and adolescence. In K. J. Rotenberg (Ed.), Disclosure processes in children and
Adolescents. New York: Cambridge University Press
COLLINS, N. L., & MILLER, L. C. (1994). Self-disclosure and liking: A meta-analytic review.
Psychological Bulletin, 116, 457-475
DUNN, J. (1993). Young children's close relationships: Beyond attachment. Newbury Park, CA:
Sage
DAVIS, M. H., & FRANZOI, S. L. (1986). Adolescent loneliness, self-disclosure, and private s
Self-consciousness: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 51, 595-608
FURMAN, W., &. BUHRMESTER, D. (1985). Children's perceptions of the qualities of sibling
Relationships. Child Development, 56, 448-461
6

7. Sibling Self-Disclosure: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
HINDE, R. (1979). Towards understanding relationships. London: Academic Press
HOWE, N., AQUAN-ASSEE, J., & BUKOWSKI, W. M. (1995). Self-disclosure and the
sibling relationship: What did Romulus tell Remus? In K. J. Rotenberg (Ed.), Disclosure
processes in children and adolescents. New York: Cambridge University Press
JOURARD, S. M. (1958). Personal adjustment: An approach through the study of healthy
Personality. New York: Macmillan
Howe, N., Aquan-Assee, J., Bukowski, W. M., Rinaldi, C. M., & Lehoux, P. M. (2000). Sibling
Self-disclsoure in early adolescence.Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 46(4), 653-671.
7