{"title":"Parental Differential Treatment of Siblings and Child Psychopathology: A Network Meta-analysis.","authors":"Zixin Jiang, Yuqing Yang, Bin-Bin Chen","doi":"10.1007/s10567-025-00530-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To determine the associations between parental differential treatment (PDT) and various psychopathological symptoms in children and its mechanisms, this systematic review integrated 26 studies spanning more than three decades, involving 37,025 participants. A network meta-analysis was employed to calculate correlations between absolute and relative PDT and specific symptoms (including anxiety, depression, aggression, and rule-breaking behavior), as well as broad-band symptoms (including internalizing and externalizing behavior) in children. Meta-analytic structural equation modelling was used to examine the mediating effect between PDT and psychopathology. Results indicated that a greater amount of PDT in the family (absolute PDT) was significantly associated with depression (r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.06, 0.22]), internalizing behavior (r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.06, 0.22]), aggression (r = 0.11, 95% CI [0.03, 0.19]), rule-breaking behavior (r = 0.21, 95% CI [0.08, 0.33]) and externalizing behavior (r = 0.13, 95% CI [0.04, 0.21]). Compared to favored siblings, disfavored children (relative PDT) displayed more anxiety (r = 0.11, 95% CI [0.01, 0.21]), depression (r = 0.10, 95% CI [0.00, 0.18]), internalizing behavior (r = 0.12, 95% CI [0.01, 0.23]), aggression (r = 0.12, 95% CI [0.02, 0.21]) and externalizing behavior (r = 0.20, 95% CI [0.10, 0.29]). Children who received less favoritism were at higher risk for psychopathology in cultures with higher levels of individualism. Furthermore, the sibling relationship factor mediated the association between absolute PDT and child psychopathology. These findings highlight that PDT may be a risk factor for both specific and broad-band symptoms of psychopathology and offer insights into its potential mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":51399,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-025-00530-w","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
To determine the associations between parental differential treatment (PDT) and various psychopathological symptoms in children and its mechanisms, this systematic review integrated 26 studies spanning more than three decades, involving 37,025 participants. A network meta-analysis was employed to calculate correlations between absolute and relative PDT and specific symptoms (including anxiety, depression, aggression, and rule-breaking behavior), as well as broad-band symptoms (including internalizing and externalizing behavior) in children. Meta-analytic structural equation modelling was used to examine the mediating effect between PDT and psychopathology. Results indicated that a greater amount of PDT in the family (absolute PDT) was significantly associated with depression (r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.06, 0.22]), internalizing behavior (r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.06, 0.22]), aggression (r = 0.11, 95% CI [0.03, 0.19]), rule-breaking behavior (r = 0.21, 95% CI [0.08, 0.33]) and externalizing behavior (r = 0.13, 95% CI [0.04, 0.21]). Compared to favored siblings, disfavored children (relative PDT) displayed more anxiety (r = 0.11, 95% CI [0.01, 0.21]), depression (r = 0.10, 95% CI [0.00, 0.18]), internalizing behavior (r = 0.12, 95% CI [0.01, 0.23]), aggression (r = 0.12, 95% CI [0.02, 0.21]) and externalizing behavior (r = 0.20, 95% CI [0.10, 0.29]). Children who received less favoritism were at higher risk for psychopathology in cultures with higher levels of individualism. Furthermore, the sibling relationship factor mediated the association between absolute PDT and child psychopathology. These findings highlight that PDT may be a risk factor for both specific and broad-band symptoms of psychopathology and offer insights into its potential mechanisms.
期刊介绍:
Editors-in-Chief: Dr. Ronald J. Prinz, University of South Carolina and Dr. Thomas H. Ollendick, Virginia Polytechnic Institute Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal that provides an international, interdisciplinary forum in which important and new developments in this field are identified and in-depth reviews on current thought and practices are published. The Journal publishes original research reviews, conceptual and theoretical papers, and related work in the broad area of the behavioral sciences that pertains to infants, children, adolescents, and families. Contributions originate from a wide array of disciplines including, but not limited to, psychology (e.g., clinical, community, developmental, family, school), medicine (e.g., family practice, pediatrics, psychiatry), public health, social work, and education. Topical content includes science and application and covers facets of etiology, assessment, description, treatment and intervention, prevention, methodology, and public policy. Submissions are by invitation only and undergo peer review. The Editors, in consultation with the Editorial Board, invite highly qualified experts to contribute original papers on topics of timely interest and significance.