Ties among Adult Siblings

We use a National Survey of Families and Households sample of 7,730 adults with siblings to test a model of perceived and actual social support among adult siblings. Despite low levels of actual exchange, nearly 30% of the sample would call on a sibling first in an emergency. Social support among siblings was higher for those with living sisters and for those without adult children, but African Americans and respondents with lower education and family income levels were less likely to be involved in actual exchange with siblings. Although weak support from siblings may simply represent a contraction of the support network to the “inner circle” of parents and children, these findings suggest caution in assuming that disadvantaged groups can rely on stronger extended family networks.