An examination of parental concerns regarding sibling adjustment before and after birth of a sibling

Adjustment of the family to birth of a second child has not been widely researched. Much of the literature is based on experiential rather than research findings. These articles tend to be suggestions for and outlines of siblinghood classes for the older sibling. However, it has not been documented what parents' concerns are, nor that the prenatal period is the most appropriate time for addressing these issues. Both preschoolers and their expectant parents may be unable to incorporate the information prenatally.

This descriptive study was designed to examine the concerns of parents regarding their preschooler's adjustment to the life crisis of sibling birth, both prenatally and postnatally. Subjects studied were expectant parents attending a siblinghood class at a large urban hospital with their two to six year old firstborn child. Inclusion criteria required that prospective parents be within three months of the estimated date of delivery. The parents were requested to complete a series of three questionnaires primarily composed of open-ended items: the first before the class began; the second when the class ended; and the third at two to three weeks postpartum. This study entailed encoding and summarizing data largely via content analysis.

Results indicated that during the prenatal period parental concerns regarding firstborn adjustment were primarily centered on the impending hospitalization for childbirth. Postnatally, concerns shifted to longer-term sibling relations and broad issues of parenting. Implications of the study include the need to expand interventions for this population to address concerns related to parenting two children, particularly in the postnatal period. Further research is needed to explore some of the interacting variables within this complex area of family dynamics.