Parent–child personality similarity and differential autonomy support toward siblings.

Abstract

Since parental differential treatment is related to more adjustment difficulties over and above main effects of parental treatment, it is important to understand under what conditions differential parenting is likely to occur. Using a within-family design, this study focused on between-sibling differences in parent-child personality similarity as a potential predictor of differential autonomy support from fathers and mothers. Longitudinal data (6 annual waves) of 497 target adolescents (56.9% boys, Mage at T1 = 13.03), one of their siblings (N = 416, Mage at T1 = 14.92), their fathers (N = 446, Mage at T1 = 46.74), and their mothers (N = 495, Mage at T1 = 44.41) were used. Parent-child personality similarity was determined based on distinctive profile correlations using the Big Five personality inventory. Structural Equation Modelingshowed that the association between sibling differences in mother-child similarity and maternal autonomy support was positive and significant at the between-family level, and not at the within-family level. This means that, in families where one sibling was relatively more similar to the mother, the sibling with closer resemblance to the mother received relatively more autonomy support. No significant effects were found for fathers' differential autonomy support. The present study highlights the importance of considering parent-child similarity in personality for understanding differences between siblings in maternal autonomy support.

Parent personality traits and problem behavior in adolescence: The mediating role of adolescent personality

“…There is now good evidence that adolescent personality traits relate to their involvement in problem behavior (Mann et al, 2020), that parent personality traits relate to offspring behavior problems (Truhan et al, 2022), and that parent personality traits relate to offspring personality traits (Vrolijk et al, 2022). However, only a handful of studies have explored potential mediating effects in adolescent samples, with fewer still exploring the mediating role of adolescent personality using the five-factor model framework.…”

“…The tridirectional framework of parental personality and offspring outcomes (Truhan et al, 2021) predicts that parent personality traits influence offspring outcomes through (1) parenting behavior and (2) offspring personality traits, with offspring personality trait associations acquired through genetic inheritance and learned tendencies (see Vukasović & Bratko, 2015). The tridirectional model further predicts that offspring traits interact with parental traits to feed back into parenting styles (see e.g., Vrolijk et al, 2022), with both age and sex (of parents and offspring) predicted as potential moderators (Truhan et al, 2021). Support for this model has been demonstrated through research showing that parents scoring higher on neuroticism and lower on conscientiousness have more negative parenting styles such as overreacting, and lower levels of parental warmth, support, and responsiveness (Clark et al, 2018; de Haan et al, 2012; Kochanska et al, 2012; Prinzie et al, 2009; Truhan et al, 2022).…”

“…There is now good evidence that parent personality traits relate to offspring personality traits during the adolescent years, with medium‐large effect sizes (Langenhof et al, 2016; Schofield et al, 2012; Vrolijk et al, 2022). There is also good evidence that parent personality traits relate to offspring behavior.…”