Size of Family and Adjustment of Children

Bossard & Boll (See SA 8129), & Ellis & Beechley found evidence which suggests that desirable influences for personality development are found in the large family. Nye, however, has found that adolescents from small families show better relations with their parents than those from larger families. The Rogers Test of Personality Adjustment was used to estimate adjustment characteristics of 256 5th grade children. The children were classified into 6 categories according to the number of siblings they had. The F-values for the `personal inferiority', `social adjustment', `daydreaming' & `total scores' were non-signif according to the family size breakdown. However, higher X's were found for children with 5 or more siblings. The `family relations' X's were found to be signif. Children with one sibling had the lowest (mean - average) while the highest (mean - average) was found for the children who had 5 siblings. The data give little support to the findings of Bossard & Boll or Ellis & Beechley. It is suggested that the methodology & samples used by these investigators were not sufficient. The advantages of the large family in providing the children with a play group may be 'offset by feelings of rivalry & jealousy which develops in the large family.' T. Tannenbaum.