Bullying from the Nearest: A Systematic Review on the Risks and Consequences of Sibling Bullying

Aim: Although sibling bullying may not be visible in society, family dynamics, parental attitudes, and socioeconomic conditions have made it visible. Sibling bullying negatively affects children's psychosocial health, leading to depression, anxiety, decreased life satisfaction, and a weakened sense of belonging to the family. This systematic review aims to investigate the risk factors of sibling bullying and its effects on child health. Materials and Methods: In the study, searches were conducted in Turkish and English using the keyword “sibling bullying” in the DergiPark, PubMed, Science Direct, and YÖK Thesis databases. Studies with full-text access between 2020 and 2025 were included. The inclusion criteria for the studies were that they addressed sibling bullying in children and reported its effects on child health. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA-P checklist. Results: Fourteen studies examining sibling bullying involved 62,442 children. Bullying was found to be prevalent and mostly took the form of verbal, physical, and psychological abuse. Boys were more likely to be bullies, while girls were more likely to be victims. Risk factors included family structure, low socioeconomic status, parental characteristics, culture, and having a sibling with special needs. Bullying is associated with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, low life satisfaction, and suicide risk, and it often spreads from home to school. Conclusion: Verbal bullying is the most common form of sibling bullying, influenced by peers, family environment, socioeconomic status, and parental attitudes. It threatens children’s mental health by increasing risks such as depression, anxiety, and low life satisfaction. Prevention requires parental awareness, early interventions, and support from schools and health professionals.