The Impact of Birth Order and Adult Sibling Relationship Quality on Self-Esteem in Young Adults

Participant Information Sheet

Study Title: The Impact of Birth Order and Adult Sibling Relationship Quality on Self-Esteem in Young Adults

You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before deciding, it is essential to understand why the research is being conducted and what it entails. Please take time to read the following information carefully. Please ask the lead researcher if anything is unclear or if you require further information. The researcher’s details are included on this form, should you wish to ask any questions before taking part.

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What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which birth order and adult sibling rivalry predict self-esteem in young adults. The study is based on previous research suggesting that family relationships, particularly sibling dynamics, may influence psychological outcomes such as self-esteem. Participants will complete the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire–Short Form (ASRQ-SF), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and an online questionnaire consisting of demographic questions. The study is expected to take approximately 8–10 minutes to complete. The findings may contribute to a better understanding of how family relationships are associated with self-esteem in young adulthood.

Why have I been chosen?
You have been invited to take part in this study because you meet the eligibility criteria for participation. Participants are required to be young adults aged between 18 and 25 years and to have at least one sibling. This sample has been chosen because the study aims to explore sibling relationships and self-esteem during early adulthood, a developmental stage where family dynamics may still influence psychological well-being.

Do I have to take part?
It is up to you to decide whether to take part. If you decide to participate, you will be given this information sheet to keep and asked to sign a consent form. If you decide to participate, you are still free to withdraw without giving a reason. If you wish to withdraw before completing the study please just close your browser, if you wish to withdraw after submitting your data you can do so by emailing the researcher within 72 hours of the date of completion of this study with your IP address, after this time the data will be fully anonymised after download and it will be impossible to identify your responses in the aggregated data.

What will happen if I decide to take part?
If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire. You will first be provided with an information sheet and asked to give informed consent before proceeding. You will complete two standardised psychological measures which assess both sibling relationship quality and self-esteem. You will then complete a short set of demographic questions, including age, gender, birth order, and number of siblings. Both questionnaires use a scale format where you indicate your level of agreement with each statement. The study is entirely self-administered and will take approximately 8–10 minutes to complete. There are no right or wrong answers and you may also withdraw from the study at any time before submitting your responses without penalty.

What are the potential benefits and risks of taking part?
Although there are no direct benefits to you if you participate, taking part will provide a greater understanding of how birth order and sibling relationships are associated with self-esteem in young adults, which may ultimately benefit psychological research into family dynamics and mental well-being, and may inform future understanding of how sibling relationships relate to self-esteem. There are no risks to you in taking part outside of those you would experience in everyday life. However, by taking part, you may remember things that you may find upsetting. If this occurs, the researcher will ask if you wish to continue participating in the study. Any decision you make will be respected.

Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?
Yes. All the information about your participation in this study will be kept confidential. The surveys you completed will be stored on a password-protected computer only accessible to the researcher. Only the researcher and their supervisor working on the project will have access to the information, which may then be subject to external examination. You will not be identifiable in any report as the data will be grouped together, and all identifying information will be removed.

What will happen at the end of the research study?
At the end of the research study, all responses will be collected, downloaded and securely stored in accordance with university data protection guidelines. The data will be anonymised and analysed using statistical software e.g. JASP. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise participant characteristics and overall scores. Statistical analyses i.e. correlational analysis and multiple regression will be conducted to examine the extent to which birth order and adult sibling rivalry predict self-esteem in young adults. The findings will be used to produce a dissertation thesis in partial fulfilment of a MSc Mental Health and Wellbeing. The results may also be presented in summary form within academic supervision contexts and may be considered for future academic dissemination, such as conference presentations or publication in a peer-reviewed journal. However, all data will remain anonymous, and no individual participants will be identifiable in any outputs.

What if I have a problem or concern?

If you have any concerns, please contact the Dean of Research Culture and Postgraduate Research, Prof. Laura Caulfield, at [email protected], or the administrative lead and research integrity manager, Jill Morgan, at [email protected].

Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been reviewed and approved as ethically appropriate by Paul Gardner and Muhammad Hossain.

Contact for further information:
If you have any questions, you can contact the researcher by emailing [email protected] You can also contact the lead researcher’s supervisor Paul Gardner by emailing [email protected]

Thank you for your interest in participating in this study1

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