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Estrangement between siblings in adulthood: A qualitative exploration

Blake, Lucy; Bland, Becca; Rouncefield-Swales, Alison

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Authors

Becca Bland

Alison Rouncefield-Swales



Abstract

Relationships between siblings have been described as the longest lasting an individual can have, yet siblings both can and do become estranged from one another in adulthood. An online survey was disseminated to individuals who had sought support from the charity Stand Alone, which supports individuals who are experiencing family estrangement. Individuals estranged from one full genetic sister and/or brother were asked to describe the relationship in their own words. Open-text responses were thematically analysed from 291 respondents. Family systems were described as being characterised by estrangements, alliances and conflicts; there was variation in the participant’s preferences regarding reconciliation; and most respondents focused on describing their sibling’s challenging or disappointing characteristics and behaviour. The fact that siblings both can and do become estranged challenges commonly held assumptions about family relationships, confirming that they are not necessarily or always life-long, significant or supportive.

Citation

Blake, L., Bland, B., & Rouncefield-Swales, A. (2023). Estrangement between siblings in adulthood: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Family Issues, 44(7), 1859-1879. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X211064876

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 7, 2021
Online Publication Date Mar 11, 2022
Publication Date 2023-07
Deposit Date Dec 3, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Family Issues
Print ISSN 0192-513X
Electronic ISSN 1552-5481
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 44
Issue 7
Pages 1859-1879
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X211064876
Keywords estrangement; intergenerational; parent/child relations; qualitative; sibling relationships
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8197278
Publisher URL https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192513X211064876

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