Sibling Rivalry
Disorder may occur in families where there is conflict between
brothers and sisters which is so severe that it leads to marital
problems, creates a real danger of physical harm to one or more
family members, is damaging to the self-esteem or psychological
well-being of one or more family members and requires the intervention
of psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional.
The main symptoms of this disorders are:
Some degree of emotional disturbance usually following the birth
of an immediately younger sibling is shown by a majority of young
children.
A sibling rivalry
disorder should be diagnosed only if the degree or persistence
of the disturbance is both statistically unusual and associated
with abnormalities of socialinteraction.
Sibling jealousy.
Is not related to
another psychiatric disorder, such as depression or drug abuse.
The most common
symptom of sibling rivalry is frequent or continuous demands for
attention: the older child may want to be held and carried about,
especially when the parent is involved with the newborn sibling.
Other symptoms may also include; acting like a baby again (regressive
behavior), thumbsucking, wetting, or soiling. Aggressive behavior,
may take the form of handling the newborn..
Associated
Features:
None specifc
have been identified.
Differential
Diagnosis:
Some disorders have similar symptoms. The clinician, therefore,
in his diagnostic attempt, has to differentiate against the following
disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis.
Anti
Social Personality Disorder.
Conduct Disorder.
Cause:
What causes
sibling rivalry? There are multiple factors invoved. Children
who are of a different sex, and of different ages and temperament
figure prominentl. They also express the disatisfaction of having
to share the one person or the two people they most want for themselves,
their parents. Other factors include:
Position
in the family - the oldest child may be burdened with responsibilities
for the younger children or the younger child spends his life
trying to catch up with an older sibling.
Sex - a son may hate his sister because his father seems more
gentle with her. On the other hand, a daughter may wish she
could go on the hunting trip with her father and brother.
Age - a five and eight year old can play some games together
harmoniously however, when they reach ten and thirteen years
of age, they will probably be poles apart in interests and preferrred
activities.
Treatment:
The
most important factor in the treatment of this disorder is parental
attitude. A parents impariality is extremely important. It's inevitable
that parents will feel differently about children who have different
personalities with differing needs, dispositions and place in
the family. It is therefore extremely important the when dealing
with children a "fair" and "consistant" approach
is between both, or more, children.
Counseling
and Psychotherapy [ See
Therapy Section ]:
Treatment
consists of a multimodal treatment program. The family
should also be involved in therapy. Individual psychotherapy is
needed to work on problem solving skills.
Pharmacotherapy
[ See
Psychopharmacology Section ] :
