Pseudo-Siblings: Friendship and Only-Children

This study explores the ways in which the friendships of only-children are similar to and differ from sibling relationships. Sixteen interview participants were asked to describe their friendships and their sibling relationships, and were asked to explain the perceived differences between the two. Participants agreed that friends can be like siblings, but siblings were more willing to equate the two. Participants tended to idealize the sibling relationship regardless of their real-life experience of the sibling relationship. Most participants preferred an even number of children, with only two participants preferring the number of children in their childhood family.