This cross-sectional study examined item-level frequencies of proactive and reactive sibling aggression in 290 elementary-aged children (grades 3–5, mean age 9.27 years, 54.8% male), and tested for gender and grade-level differences in sibling aggression acts.
Reactive sibling aggression was more common than proactive aggression; the most frequent act was getting angry and striking when teased by a sibling. At least 1 in 6 youth (≥17%) reported using physical force to dominate siblings. No gender differences were found; the only grade-level difference was that 3rd graders were more likely than 5th graders to threaten or bully a sibling to get their own way.
- Cross-sectional design prevents causal or longitudinal conclusions. - Sample is limited to grades 3–5, so findings may not generalize outside this age range. - Full text was not accessible; detailed measurement tools, sample demographics, and effect sizes could not be verified.
Clinicians should routinely ask about sibling aggression — especially reactive forms — during behavioral assessments of school-age children, as it is common and linked to broader emotional and behavioral problems. Framing sibling aggression as a meaningful risk factor, not a harmless norm, may prompt earlier intervention.
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