Correlates of Perceived Parental Favoritism

A questionnaire study of over 600 male and female high school students (intact families and with at least one sibling) explored the phenomenon of parental favoritism. About half the respondents perceived the existence of favoritism on the part of one or both of their parents. Girls more often than boys were perceptive of such favoritism. The youngest child in the family was more often the favorite of the mother and the middle child was least often a parental favorite. Parental favoritism was associated with perceived parental incompatibility. Teenagers who perceived a sibling as being favored evidenced increased angry and depressive feelings as well as identity confusion. This latter effect was most pronounced when a parent of the same sex favored a sibling of the same sex as the respondent.