Identifying the role of siblings in adolescent decision‐making: A developmental processes approach

Abstract

Adolescence represents a period of opportunity in decision‐making as developmental motivations and processes shift, particularly in social contexts. Sibling relationships may be especially influential in adolescent decision‐making, as siblings spend a disproportionate amount of time with one another and can affect how adolescents think, feel, and behave. However, the ways in which siblings may shape adolescent decision‐making through psychological, behavioral, and neurological processes, particularly their interactions, are less well known. This review introduces the developmental processes approach to understanding adolescent decision‐making in the sibling context by reviewing patterns in the literature as to how each developmental process in sibling contexts may contribute to adolescent decision‐making. Interdisciplinary collaborations across theories and methods (i.e., surveys, observations, and neuroimaging) can contribute to a more holistic understanding of how siblings may shape adolescent decision‐making, for better and for worse. Further, this approach can inform practice through sibling‐focused prevention programs and other sibling‐focused programming (e.g., government, nonprofit) in promoting adaptive adolescent decision‐making.