The fear of having no friends (or being unpopular) can be a stressful experience for all children -- and for parents, the mistaken belief that "only children" are more likely to have problems with peer relations can be particularly troublesome.
However, according to a new study from the Ohio State University, children without siblings are just as popular in school as those from bigger families,
- The study included 13,000 children enrolled in the National Study of Adolescent Health.
- When the researchers asked them to choose five friends, "only children" were chosen just as often as children who have siblings.
- Only children had poorer social skills when they were in nursery school but they became equal to their peers as they grew older.
"As family sizes get smaller in industrialized nations, there is concern about what it might mean for society as children grow up without brothers and sisters," said Professor Donna Bobbitt-Zeher, lead author of the study. "I don't think anyone has to be concerned that if you don't have siblings you won't learn social skills you need to get along with other students in high school."
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.
Labels: relationships, friendships, siblings
Posted By: Jane St. Clair
