Purpose -Sibling violence is generally considered to be the most prevalent form of family violence. This paper aims to examine the association between sibling violence and other forms of violence: parent-to-parent violence, parent-to-child violence and dating violence.Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected from 590 Portuguese university students.Findings -There was a strong positive association between sibling violence and other forms of family violence. Psychological and physical aggression is highly prevalent among siblings. Results also show that sibling violence is the most prevalent form of family violence. Regression models demonstrated that parent-to-child violence is a substantial predictor of sibling violence.Originality/value -The results of this study point to the importance of studying the co-occurrence of different forms of family violence.

ResumoA violência entre irmãos é uma das formas mais comuns de violência familiar. Este estudo pretendeu caracterizar este problema em Portugal, numa amostra de 588 estudantes universitários. Os diferentes tipos de violência (física, psicológica e sexual) foram avaliados com as "Revised Confl ict Tactics Scales -Sibling Version". Procedeu-se a análises descritivas exploratórias das distribuições das principais variáveis, recorreu-se ao teste do χ 2 e a análises de covariância múltipla. Os resultados indicaram que a violência entre irmãos é muito frequente no início da adolescência; os rapazes perpetraram signifi cativamente mais atos de violência física (p <0,001) e sexual (p <0,05) do que as raparigas, mas foram também, física (p <0,001) e sexualmente (p <0,05), mais vitimizados. Também as díades masculinas apresentaram níveis de violência física e sexual signifi cativamente superiores aos de todas as outras díades, indicando claramente a reciprocidade do fenómeno. Os resultados foram discutidos segundo perspetivas de 'normalização de agressões' (dissonância cognitiva; Hardy, Beers, Burguess, & Taylor, 2010) e do 'ciclo de violência', as quais explicam a manutenção de comportamentos abusivos entre irmãos e a sua possível transferência para outras relações. Palavras-chave: Violência, irmãos, díades fraternas, diferenças de género. AbstractSibling violence is one of the most common forms of family violence. This study aimed to characterize this issue in Portugal, among a sample of 588 undergraduates. The different types of victimization (physical, psychological and sexual) were assessed through the "Revised Confl ict Tactics Scale -Sibling Version". Descriptive exploratory analyses of the main variables, χ2 test, and multiple analyses of covariance were conducted. The results indicated that sibling violence is more frequent during early adolescence; boys committed signifi cantly more physical (p <.001) and sexual (p <.05) violent acts than girls, but they were also signifi cantly more victimized than girls, both physically (p <.001) and sexually (p <.05). Also, the male dyads showed signifi cantly higher levels of physical and sexual violence than all other dyads, indicating clearly the reciprocal phenomenon. The results are discussed according to 'normalization of aggression' and 'cycle of violence' perspectives, which both help to understand the perpetration of abusive behaviors among siblings, as well as their occasional transfer to other relationships.

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siblings set their first horizontal relationships, providing a preparation for the social context adaptation. According to Dunn (1983), sibling relationships are formed and strengthened in childhood, which is the period in which siblings spend more time together, influencing themselves reciprocally and decisively. In adolescence, siblings undergo major changes and experiences that cause a normalized distance, as young people leave home and create new extra-familial relationships, particularly with pairs or loving figures. In adulthood, and especially in old age, after children leave home and/or individuals become widowed, siblings may return together, and became the mainstay in this phase of life. Siblings allow the sharing of experiences, affection, support, guidance and mutual protection, as well as it enables the development of intimacy (Fernandes 2005). Button and Gealt (2010) also indicate that healthy sibling relationships support the growth of social, cognitive and emotional skills, which lead to positive and healthy results. Volling (2003), however, argues that sibling relationships may favor or condition emotional and social development of individuals, both in childhood and in adolescence. Fernandes, in 2002, clarifies that, in fact, besides the positive feelings that exist between siblings, it may also arise a great destructive potential within that relationship of deep intimacy. In this sense, when the interactions between siblings are ruled by conflicts, being conducted by a negative interaction, they may give rise to the manifestation of maladaptive or even violent behaviors (Goldsmid and Féres-Carneiro 2007).