Impact of Sibling Death in Midlife on Tension Among Surviving Siblings

ABSTRACT Objective This study investigates changes in sibling tension following the deaths of sibship members in midlife, as well as the processes underlying these changes, particularly as they vary by the gender of the deceased sibling. Background Relationships with siblings are among adults' most enduring ties across the life course, serving as important sources of support and shaping well‐being. Despite the salience of these ties, there has been little attention to the ways in which the deaths of adult siblings shape the quality of relationships among surviving sibship members. Method Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 505 adult siblings nested within 261 families at two points approximately a decade apart. Multilevel modeling was used to test the association between sibling death and changes in sibling tension. Qualitative analyses were based on interviews at both time points with 62 respondents who lost a sibling between waves, their mothers, and in some cases, the deceased siblings in the wave prior to their deaths. Results Multilevel models showed that brothers' deaths were associated with decreases in sibling tension, whereas there were no changes following sisters' deaths. Qualitative analyses revealed that deceased brothers were typically described as having been sources of conflict and disappointment, fostering tension in sibling relationships. Conversely, deceased sisters were typically described as supportive, rather than conflictual, but faced challenges in their lives which elicited concern, rather than derision. Conclusion These findings underscore how the deaths of brothers and sisters differentially shape changes in the quality of adults' relationships with their siblings following the loss of a member of the sibship.