Sibling Rivalry Disorder

Recently， a ten-year-old girl who had previously been lively and outstanding at school started complaining about headaches and lost appetite and became withdrawn – after her mother gave birth to a son. The doctor diagnosed her with sibling rivalry disorder.

Sibling rivalry disorder is a psychological issue affecting the first child when a younger brother or sister is born. The particulars and severity vary widely. Symptoms in most children are mild and disappear quickly. However， persistent and severe cases can cause psychiatric issues such as anxiety and depression， affecting children’s social behavior.

Researchers from Columbia University believe that competing interests between the first child and the second exist in any society. The birth of the second child can exert traumatic pressure to the first child and inspire strong feelings of jealousy.

Psychological Bulletin， a fa- mous academic journal on psychology， once researched 440 first children for up to six years. According to the data， after giving birth to a second child， the mother spends less time with the first child and more time tending the new baby. This hurts the first child’s situation： Both income and attention from the parents decrease. The first child can easily perceive the change.

Someone must address the problem， and it has to be parents. A paper published by Psychological Bulletin in 2012 indicated that the behavior of the first child during the period when a new baby is born is influenced by his or her environment， among which the mood of the mother is paramount. The father’s role is important too. When a new baby has been born， just the task of breast-feeding takes a lot of the mother’s time， during which time the father has more opportunities to communicate with the first child. A gentle and considerate father is more capable of helping the first child cope with the stressful situation.

Experts suggest that parents who plan on having a second child don’t overestimate the first’s stability. They should pay special attention to the first child’s mental health， maintain close communication with him or her， and let the child participate in the plan on having another baby.