The Role of Parents’ Autonomy Support and Psychological Control in Sibling Relationship Functioning through Children’s Need-based Experiences

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether parents’ autonomy support and psychological control during sibling conflict would relate to children’s need-based experiences and relationship functioning within the sibling relationship. Two siblings (Mage = 8.61 years, SD = 0.91 and Mage = 10.50 years, SD = 0.94) of 205 families filled out questionnaires. Results showed that parental autonomy support related positively to siblings’ relationship satisfaction via children’s need satisfaction. Additionally, fathers’ psychological control related negatively to provided autonomy support and positively to provided psychological control from one sibling to the other (as reported by the other sibling) and negatively to satisfaction with this relationship via need frustration. These findings highlight the importance of the quality of parents’ involvement during sibling conflict.