Sibling jealousy from an adult persfective

Although sibling jealousy is mostly considered as a phenomenon belonging to childhood and adolescence, it is observed that the effects of this emotion persist into adulthood as well. Jealousy experienced between adult siblings may arise as a continuation of family roles, the sharing of parental attention, new life circumstances, and past rivalries. Sibling jealousy in adulthood can have significant effects on individuals' life satisfaction, family relationships, and psychological well-being. This study aims to examine the feelings of jealousy that adult individuals experience towards their siblings, to explore the situations that cause such jealousy, to investigate which attitudes and behaviors contribute to poor sibling relationships in adulthood, and to understand how the quality of sibling relationships—whether positive or negative, with or without jealousy—affects the individual. The study sample consists of adult participants over the age of 18, who are married and have at least three siblings. The research employs a qualitative research design, specifically the phenomenological approach, and utilizes standardized open-ended interview techniques. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis, involving coding, the formation of categories and subcategories, and the identification of main themes. The analysis process was carried out with the assistance of MAXQDA, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software. Additionally, content analysis was used to combine similar concepts into meaningful wholes during the coding process. The analyses revealed that sibling jealousy is a dynamic process, not limited to childhood but continuing to manifest during different stages of adulthood, such as marriage, parental loss, and structural changes within the family. Moreover, it was found that factors such as family structure, parental attitudes, differences between siblings, the influence of spouses, and communication skills all play a multifaceted role in shaping sibling jealousy. It was also concluded that coping strategies vary as individual, family-based, value-emotion-based, and communication-based methods, and that in adulthood, individuals take a more active role in managing this process.