More siblings mean poorer mental health for teens

January 11, 2024

More siblings mean poorer mental health for teens

Sullen sisters in the back seat of a car

Teens from larger families have poorer mental health than those with fewer siblings, according to a large analysis of children in the United States and China. The details of the pattern vary depending on factors such as the spacing of sibling ages and the age of the siblings. But the fact that the overall pattern was found in both countries is striking, said Doug Downey, lead author of the study and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.