Quotes about siblings abound online. 鈥淎 sibling is your first friend,鈥� says one sweetly. 鈥淭he greatest gift our parents ever gave us is each other,鈥� says another. But what does research tell us about sibling bonds 鈥� and their effects 鈥� once we鈥檙e grown?
University of Missouri-Columbia professor Megan Gilligan directs the Families in Later Life Lab at Mizzou. She joined 鈥淪t. Louis on the Air鈥� to discuss how the dynamics and bonds that exist in youth differ from those that form 鈥� and change 鈥� in adulthood.
Gilligan also explored how building adult sibling relationships sets people up for better psychological and emotional well-being. She pointed out that a strong sibling relationship doesn鈥檛 just benefit the siblings involved, but it can help them navigate caring for aging parents and other challenging circumstances.
To hear what sets adult sibling bonds apart from other kinds of relationships, how sibling dynamics and care for aging parents intersect and why there鈥檚 room 鈥� and need 鈥� for further study of sibling relationships in adulthood, listen to St. Louis on the Air on or or by clicking the play button below.
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . Roshae Hemmings is our production assistant. The audio engineer is . Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
