Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"Just Because I'M An Only Child Doesn't Mean I Can't Have Siblings:" Psychological Kinship Within Social Support Networks, Alynn C. Hembrough

Scripps Senior Theses

Pulling from the foundations of research on social support and resilience indicating that those who receive extensive social support are more resilient, this research, consisting of two studies, primarily examined the differences between individuals who are only children and individuals who have siblings in their formation of social support networks. While it is true that only children inherently have less immediate kin available, this research explored the formation of relationships in which non-kin come to be psychologically considered as kin, or psychological kinship. In Study 1, qualitative interviews were conducted in order to develop a working Kinship scale. Study 2, …