Younger siblings favoured more even as parents partial towards daughters, agreeable kids: Study

New Delhi: While parents might tend to be partial towards daughters and agreeable children, younger siblings generally receive more favourable treatment, according to a review of studies analysing family dynamics.

However, older children are often allowed more autonomy with parents become less controlling as they grow, the review of 30 studies and 14 databases, involving nearly 19,500 participants, found.

"For decades, researchers have known that differential treatment from parents can have lasting consequences for children," said the review's lead author Alexander Jensen, an associate professor at Brigham Young University, US.

The review has been published in the journal Psychological Bulletin.

"This study helps us understand which children are more likely to be on the receiving end of favouritism, which can be both positive and negative," Jensen said.

Parental favouritism, in which a parent is perceived to or may actually prefer one child to another, can express in multiple ways such as how they interact with the children, the money they spend on them or control they exert, according to the researchers.

Differential treatment can have negative effects on the development, especially for the less favoured child, along with causing strained family relationships, they said.

For the study, the team looked at multiple aspects including overall treatment, interactions and control. They also analysed how birth order, gender and personality traits were linked to parental favouritism.

Both mothers and fathers were more likely to favour daughters. "Parents reported favouring daughters," the authors wrote.

Further, children who were more conscientious (responsible) and agreeable also received a preferential treatment, suggesting parents may find these children easier to manage and therefore, may respond more positively to them, the team said.

"Conscientious and agreeable children also received more favoured treatment," the authors wrote.

When it came to birth order on average, "younger siblings receive favorable treatment to a slight degree," they said.

However, parents were more likely to give older siblings greater autonomy, possibly because they were more mature, according to Jensen.

"Understanding these nuances can help parents and clinicians recognise potentially damaging family patterns. It is crucial to ensure all children feel loved and supported," he said.

Jensen added that the study is correlational and so does not tell why parents might favour certain children. It, however, highlights potential areas where parents may need to be more mindful of their interactions with their children, he said.

"So, the next time you're left wondering whether your sibling is the golden child, remember there is likely more going on behind the scenes than just a preference for the eldest or youngest. It might be about responsibility, temperament or just how easy or hard you are to deal with," Jensen said.