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Sibling Relationships During the Young Adult Years: an Analysis of Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, Everyday Talk, and Turning Points

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Sibling Relationships During the Young Adult Years: an Analysis of Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, Everyday Talk, and Turning Points University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2009 Sibling Relationships During the Young Adult Years: An Analysis of Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, Everyday Talk, and Turning Points Jennifer Kellie Corti University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons, and the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons Recommended Citation Corti, Jennifer Kellie, "Sibling Relationships During the Young Adult Years: An Analysis of Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, Everyday Talk, and Turning Points" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 793. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/793 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS DURING THE YOUNG ADULT YEARS: AN ANALYSIS OF CLOSENESS, RELATIONAL SATISFACTION, EVERYDAY TALK, AND TURNING POINTS _________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities University of Denver _________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy _________ by Jennifer Kellie Corti November 2009 Advisor: Mary Claire Morr Serewicz ©Copyright by Jennifer Kellie Corti All Rights Reserved Author: Jennifer Kellie Corti Title: SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS DURING THE YOUNG ADULT YEARS: AN ANALYSIS OF CLOSENESS, RELATIONAL SATISFACTION, EVERYDAY TALK, AND TURNING POINTS Advisor: Mary Claire Morr Serewicz Degree Date: November 2009 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the sibling relationship during the young adult years. Specifically, this study explored how turning points and everyday talk related to closeness and relational satisfaction among college age siblings. One-hundred and ninety-nine young adult participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their relationship with a sibling. Results indicated that (a) geographic distance does not have a significant effect on the closeness among siblings, (b) everyday talk was expressed in terms of three categories: expressions of intimacy, maintenance talk, and relationally risky talk, (c) all three categories of everyday talk related to closeness, while only expressions of intimacy was related to relational satisfaction, (d) there were nine turning point categories (time together, school, family issues, support, moving, change in the family structure, avoidance, conflict, and graduation) that siblings experienced during the young adult years and each related uniquely to closeness, and (e) seven unique patterns of closeness (gradual increase in closeness, sustained high degree of closeness, single disruption of low closeness, single disruptions of high closeness, multiple disruptions of closeness beginning low, sustained moderate degree of closeness, gradual decrease in closeness, and multiple disruptions of closeness beginning high) that siblings experienced during the young adult years. ii Acknowledgements I would like to dedicate my dissertation to my sisters, Katie and Kalen, and to my brother, Kyle, who have inspired me to study sibling relationships. You have given me the desire to want to understand how sibling relationships work and why siblings can still feel close even when they are miles apart. I want to give a special thanks to my advisor, Dr. Fran Dickson, who worked tirelessly with me during this project. Thank you for your guidance and your encouragement—without it, this would never have happened. Thank you to my committee members, Dr. Mary Claire Morr Serewicz and Dr. Elizabeth Suter, who taught me so much during my time at DU and were incredibly accommodating during the dissertation process. To my amazing family—thank you for continually supporting me during this crazy process. Thank you, mom and dad, for your encouraging words and for always telling me how proud you are. To my wonderful husband, Matthew—thank you does not begin to suffice for how appreciative and grateful I am to have you. Thank you for being with me during the highs and the lows of graduate school. Thank you for putting up with my scattered brain and scattered life. Thank you for always encouraging me and never letting me doubt myself. Thank you for pushing me to pursue graduate school and making sure I finished. Finally, to my Lord and Savior—may this bring honor and glory to your name, as you are the one who guided and directed me, gave me the ability, and continued to provide for me every step of the way. iii Table of Contents Abstract............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements............................................................................................................iii Table of Contents............................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... v List of Figures.................................................................................................................... vi Chapter One: Introduction and Literature Review.............................................................. 1 Studying Families ........................................................................................................... 4 Systems Theory............................................................................................................... 6 Siblings Relationships................................................................................................... 13 Life Transitions............................................................................................................. 26 Turning Points............................................................................................................... 30 Sibling Closeness.......................................................................................................... 34 Relational Satisfaction .................................................................................................. 40 Everyday Talk............................................................................................................... 42 Overview....................................................................................................................... 44 Hypotheses and Research Questions ............................................................................ 45 Summary....................................................................................................................... 47 Chapter Two: Method....................................................................................................... 48 Participants.................................................................................................................... 48 Procedures..................................................................................................................... 49 Measures ....................................................................................................................... 50 Summary....................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter Three: Results...................................................................................................... 54 Identification of Turning Points.................................................................................... 58 Patterns of Closeness Between Young Adult Siblings ................................................. 72 Summary....................................................................................................................... 76 Chapter Four: Discussion, Limitations, and Directions for Future Research................... 78 Discussion..................................................................................................................... 78 Overall........................................................................................................................... 97 Propositions .................................................................................................................. 99 Toward a Theory of Siblings’ Transition to Young Adulthood ................................. 101 Summary..................................................................................................................... 104 Limitations and Future Research ................................................................................ 105 References....................................................................................................................... 110 Appendix A: Survey ....................................................................................................... 125 Appendix B: Script to Invite Individuals to Participate in Study ................................... 130 Appendix C: Examples of Turning Point Responses with Closeness Level .................. 131 iv List of Tables Table 3.1 Everyday Talk Components............................................................................. 57 Table 3.2 Turning Points for Sibling Relationships......................................................... 67 v List of Figures Figure
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