The effect of sibling relations in middle adulthood and old age on intergenerational relationship and communication

Objective: There are fewer scientific studies on sibling relationships compared to other types of relationships. However, sibling relationships are one of the longest-lasting relationships in a person's life. The aging of the population of Turkey indicates that the multi-generational family structure will become widespread in society and will lead to changes in family relations. The aim of the research is to examine the sibling relationships of people aged 50 and over in middle adulthood and old age within the framework of various variables and to discuss sibling relationships in the context of intergenerational relations and communication. Method: It is a cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory study using a questionnaire created by the researcher. Variables in the research; attitudes of the participants caring for parents, siblings caring for siblings, sibling relationships over the years, siblings having children, sibling type, and age, marital status, education level, number of siblings. To measure the attitudes of the participants, 5-point Likert-type questions were asked. The Snowball sampling method was used. Participants participated in the research online via "Google Forms". Data were analyzed with Chi-Square, Spearman Correlation and Log-Lineer Model Analyses in SPSS Statistics 26. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between age and the increase in the feeling of sharing/closeness and decrease in competition between the participants and their siblings as they got older. A negative significant relationship was found between the frequency of contact with the siblings of the participants and their age. The characteristics of sibling relationships differ according to education level, marital status, number of siblings, gender. Conclusion: The data obtained were discussed based on the information in the literature, and attention was drawn to the characteristics of sibling relationships and the existence of different sibling types in the later stages of life. Key words: middle adulthood, old age, sibling relationships, intergenerational relationships