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Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 9, No. 2, 241-259 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1359104504041921

The Experience of the Impact of Divorce on Sibling Relationships: A Qualitative Study

Caroline Abbey

University of Plymouth, UK

Rudi Dallos

University of Plymouth, UK rdallos{at}plymouth.ac.uk

This article examines the impact of divorce on relationships between siblings. It is argued that despite the massive number of children who go through this experience few studies have invited children to talk about their experiences. An exploratory qualitative study is reported with eight young women who talk about the effects of the divorce of their parents on their relationships with their siblings. The study employed a form of interpretative theme analysis and used sociograms to illustrate perceived changes in family and sibling relationships. Three metathemes emerged: changes over time, emotional impacts of the divorce and systemic processes. Overall, the findings indicated that siblings experienced increased closeness as a result of the shared experience of going through the divorce of their parents together. The young women also reported turning to each other for support as a result of the emotional unavailability of their parents during the divorce. Some implications for clinical practice are discussed, especially working together with siblings as well as with their families.

Key Words: attachment • divorce • families • resilience • siblings


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