Perceived Parent Differential Treatment and Perfectionism among Firstborn and Lastborn Individuals

Description

Page: 210-215

Manasee Sujit Joshi and Aarsha Ajayan (Department of Psychology, Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, Karnataka)

The aim of this study was to examine differences between first and last born individuals in perceived parent differential treatment and perfectionism. Data from 219 participants was utilized. The study included individuals from two-dyad biologically related siblings with non-separated parents and shared household childhood experiences while excluding individuals with disabilities, parental death, and age gaps between siblings outside of 1 to 5 years. The maternal and paternal differential treatment subscales from the Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience (SIDE) were used to measure differential parental treatment. Perfectionism was measured using the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised. No significant differences were observed in parental affection among first and lastborns. Differences were observed between first and last-borns in parental control with firstborns perceiving higher levels of control from parents. No distinct associations were found between birth order, perfectionism, and the type of perfectionism.