Sibling bullying during childhood: A scoping review

Previous research has established that positive sibling relationships can be protective against peer bullying and general family conflicts, as well as improving self-esteem and development, but significantly less attention has been given to the situation when these relationships are not positive, specifically with bullying between siblings. Despite being viewed as a ‘normal’ part of growing up, the consequences of sibling bullying can be as harmful as that of peer bullying, if not more, and it is necessary to understand and address the problem. The current scoping review assesses the existing research on sibling bullying, with attention to what is currently known and what is yet to be understood. Four databases were searched, and 45 papers were identified and synthesised. Much of the literature was conducted in Western countries, with a focus on self-reported protective and risk factors. Moreover, much of the research has identified surface-level characteristics of sibling bullying, with limited explanation for why these issues arise. This scoping review highlights and discusses these findings and provides recommendations for further research.