Citation

Sletto RF. Am. J. Sociol. 1934; 39(5): 657-669.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1934, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/216561

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A study of the significance of sibling position in delinquency was made by comparing 1,046 Minneapolis school children, legally adjudicated delinquent, with non-delinquent children selected at random from groups matched with each delinquent for age, sex, and size of sibship. A new classification of sibling positions was employed which designated the sex of the siblings of the marked child. Delinquency ratios were higher for girls whose siblings were all brothers than for girls whose siblings were all sisters. For boys this was true only when in the intermediate position. In general, delinquency ratios are high for children who are in sibling positions involving the presence of younger siblings of each sex, and low for children in positions involving the presence of elder sublings of each sex. The ratios are somewhat higher for both boys and girls when elder siblings are of the same sex and younger siblings are of the opposite sex than when the reverse is true. The explanation of differences in delinquency ratios for children in various sibling position may lie in the roles which children play in intra-family interaction. Intensive study is necessary to determine the influence of family relationships in the development of personality traits.