Family Bonds Matter: Parental Attachment, Parental Differential Treatment and Sibling Bullying in College Students

The current study aimed to investigate the association of parental attachment with sibling bullying (victimization and perpetration) among the college students by examining whether parental differential treatment serves as a mediator between them. Theoretical base for this proposed model is drawn from the theories of attachment, family systems, and social learning. This cross-sectional study adopted a correlational research design in which data was collected from 200 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years (100 boys and 100 girls) studying in different public colleges of Lahore, Pakistan using a purposive sampling procedure. Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), Sibling Inventory of Differential Experiences (SIDE) and Sibling Bullying Scale (SBS) was administered in the Urdu language. The results showed that there is a significant association between maternal attachment and low parental differential treatment (PDT), as well as sibling victimization. Parental differential treatment was related to sibling victimization in a positive manner. Similarly, sibling victimization and sibling perpetration are strongly positively related. Further mediation analysis showed that whereas parental attachment significantly predicts low PDT, PDT does not significantly predict sibling bullying consequences when parental attachment is controlled. Findings highlight the protective role of maternal attachment against sibling victimization among students and underscore its importance for family-based interventions and school counseling programs.