Sibling Rivalry Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Most young children show a certain degree of emotional disorders following the birth of younger sibling. As a rule, this disorder is mild, in the absence of violations of the child-parent relationship takes place within a few months. Jealousy with respect to the next sibling may differ in persistence, the severity of emotional disorders and lead to disadaptation not only in the family, but also outside it.

ICD-10 code

F93.3 Breakdown of sibling rivalry.

Epidemiology

There is no exact data on prevalence, because not all children fall under the supervision of psychiatrists.

Causes and pathogenesis

The presence of pathological features of the child's character, often demonstrative and epileptoid type, excessive attachment to the mother, the long position of the only child, beloved by everyone, in the family, the alleged rejection of the mother with her excessive employment or ill health. Other factors associated with the birth of a child, affecting the position of the child in the family and society (placement in a kindergarten, transfer to the upbringing of relatives).

Symptoms

Emotional disorders can take many forms, but they are always based on jealousy and rivalry for receiving attention and loving parents. This rivalry is accompanied by strong negative feelings towards sibling. In light cases this can be manifested in the absence of friendly relations with the younger child and attention to him. In more severe cases, rivalry is expressed by open anger and hatred, cruelty to younger sibling, until he is physically injured. Such a character of emotional-behavioral disorders is more characteristic of children with epileptoid character traits.

A fairly common form of the disorder is the tendency to infantile behavior (children ask to give them a pacifier, swaddle, give a breast), up to a certain regress of behavior with loss of previously formed skills (control of bowel and bladder function, appearance of distorted speech). Children often copy the actions of the younger child, attract the attention of parents (they stop eating, dressing or doing it ineptly, as if they need help from the mother).

There can be confrontation and opposition in behavior with parents. Often children deliberately behave badly, with disobedience and evil mischief, in order to attract the attention of their parents. Affective and excitable children against the background of behavioral disorders are marked by outbursts of anger and dysphoric (melancholy-spiteful) mood. Possible aggressive actions against the parents themselves, damage to their belongings.

In emotionally labile children in pre-school and junior school age, quite often observed a significant degree of anxiety and mood reduction with the formation on this background of various psychosomatic disorders. Their peculiarity is the appearance in the most traumatic situation (in the house where the younger child is). In other relatives, where there are no small children, in school and preschool groups psychosomatic disorders are usually not observed. In the absence of timely psychological and medical assistance, a protracted depressive syndrome can be formed according to the type of somatized depression with a decrease in activity reflecting on school performance, a violation of contacts with peers.

Diagnostics

For the breakdown of sibling competition, the following criteria are defined:

• the evidence of the existence of rivalry of siblings or jealousy;
• beginning within 6 months following the birth of the youngest (usually the next child);
• emotional disorders, abnormal in degree and / or persistence, and combined with psychosocial problems;
• duration of at least 4 weeks.

Indications for consultation of other specialists

If there are symptoms of a sibling rivalry disorder, the combination of individual rational and family psychotherapy is effective. The family therapist must offer the parents of the child a consultation with the therapist. In cases of the formation of persistent behavioral disorders or depressive syndrome, a psychiatrist consultation is necessary.

Forecast

Prognosis in mild cases is favorable. In the absence of complicating psychosocial situations, jealousy with respect to younger sibling is mitigated and gradually reduced. In severe cases, in the absence of psychological and medical care for the family and child, the frustration of sibling rivalry can last for years.