Sibling Experiences in Diverse Family Contexts

Sibling experiences provide a proximal context for development and, in turn, are embedded in ecological niches within society. Using an ecological framework, this article reviews the complexity of sibling experiences in diverse family contexts within the United States, focusing on families that vary in ethnic background and family structure and identifying emerging family contexts that have been understudied in sibling research. The article also illustrates that it is essential to consider macrocontextual influences on microlevel sibling processes and emphasizes that sibling experiences cannot be fully understood using samples from a few communities and family types. The article concludes that the sibling context is a largely untapped window into understanding links among children's development, family context, and culture.