A Qualitative Investigation of Middle Siblings

The following study is a qualitative investigation of the development of personality and relationships within the family constellation as it relates to the birth order of the middle child. The investigation involved triangulation—a written essay, focus group, and individual interview with each participant— employing open ended questions to explore the temporal development of sibling/parent relationships, certain aspects of sibling interaction, and perceived role within the family. Results indicated the involvement of many confounding factors in the development of familial relationships. There was also little support for previously accepted middle child stereotypes. The main conclusion drawn from this study was an understanding of personality and relationship development as a dynamic process.