Adolescent Sibling Violence: The Influence Of Family Factors

Objective:To analyze the prevalence of violence among adolescent compatriots and the influence of related family factors in rural areas.Methods:A survey of 1,493 adolescents in 9 schools in three prefecture-level cities in Hunan Province was conducted using general demographic data,parenting style questionnaire(PBI),and self-compiled sib violence questionnaires.The independent sample t-test orχ~2 was used to compare the differences between adolescents’involvement in sibling violence and their roles in the family environment group.Then,using logistic regression analysis,the relevant influencing factors of sibling violence behavior and sibling violence roles were analyzed respectively.Results:(1)In the past six months,29.1%(435/1493)of the adolescents in rural areas of Hunan Province have committed sibling violence.Rural adolescents in grade 2 of junior middle school reported more involvement in sibling violence than other grades;rural adolescents with left behind experience reported more involvement in sibling violence than rural adolescents without left behind the experience.The higher the number of compatriots in rural areas,the higher the incidence of reported involvement in compatriot violence.(2)Among those who experienced sibling violence,the proportions of those who simply carried out sibling violence,suffered sibling violence and dual roles were 4.0%(60/1493),10.9%(162/1493),and 14.3%(213/1493),respectively.(3)There was a significant positive correlation between sibling violence and parental rearing deviation,and there was a negative correlation between parental control factor,maternal care factor,and sibling violence.There was a positive correlation between mothers’encouragement of autonomy and sibling violence.(4)Grade and no left behind experience were the protective factors for rural children and adolescents involved in sibling violence.The number of compatriots can positively predict the occurrence of rural adolescents involved in compatriot violence.Parents’preference,parents’conflict,and parents’beating and scolding were the risk factors of rural adolescents’involvement in compatriots’violence.A Mother’s upbringing could also predict the involvement of rural adolescents in sibling violence.(5)The results of the regression analysis showed that the number of men who experienced sibling violence was higher than that of women.The grade was the risk factor for rural adolescents to suffer from sibling violence.The more compatriots there were,the more vulnerable they were to compatriot violence.Parents’preference and conflict were the risk factors of sibling violence.Maternal control factors could positively predict the occurrence of sibling violence among rural adolescents.However,the mother’s caring factors perceived by teenagers were the protective factors of violence among their compatriots.Men were 1.42 times more likely to be dual role players than women.The left-behind experience and parents’beating and scolding were the risk factors for rural adolescents to become the dual role.The mother’s care factor and control factor can negatively predict the occurrence of rural adolescents’dual role,while the mother’s encouragement of autonomy factor can positively predict the occurrence of rural adolescents’dual role.Conclusion:The phenomenon of sibling violence is common in rural areas of Hunan Province,and it’s influenced by family structure,parental behavior,and parenting style.So the intervention methods should start from many aspects.