When Sibling Becomes Competitor: A Qualitative Investigation of Same-Sex Sibling Competition in Elite Sport

Over the past several years, sibling competition in sport has received ever-increasing attention in the popular press (Haugh, 2004 Haugh, D. 2004. Keeping up with the Joneses. The Chicago Tribune, November 24: 4–6. [Google Scholar]; Lewis, 2004 Lewis, M. 2004. The Eli experiment. The New York Times Magazine, 6 December 19: 42–49. 64, 68–71 [Google Scholar]). Since researchers have yet to examine this phenomenon, the purpose of the current study was to examine the psychological factors associated with on-field competition against a sibling. Using semi-structured interviews, a sample of ten elite athletes shared their experiences and perceptions regarding the similarities and/or differences between sibling and non-sibling competition. Eight participants indicated that competition against a sibling was different from competition against unrelated opponents. These differences manifested themselves in three themes (i.e., affective responses to sibling competition, level of emotional involvement, sibling cooperation), and are discussed in relation to the scientific and applied literature in family dynamics and sport psychology. Participant responses offer valuable insight into the unique experiences of sibling competitors, providing beneficial information for parents, coaches, and sport psychology consultants.