Common explanations for these differences include genes, peer influences, life traumas, bad parenting, and even bad luck.

The reasons for sibling conflict vary, but common ones include parental favoritism (in childhood and adulthood), disputes over caregiving and childhood abuse by parents or siblings.

Here are 10 risk factors for sibling estrangement: 1. Family trauma. Children raised in chaotic, abusive, or neglectful families, run the greatest risk of estrangement, as many are living...

Those who reported positive relationships with their siblings and low levels of sibling conflict were less likely to struggle with loneliness, depression and anxiety. Siblings are ubiquitous — 80% of Americans have one. Yet research on siblings tends to be a bit overlooked. Only 3% of studies on close personal relationships focus on siblings.

However, deeper psychological reasons exist to explain why siblings often grow apart later in life. One of these explanations involves the relationships between siblings and parents. Even the most well-meaning parents can create a rift between their children depending on how they raise them.