Study Finds That Having A Sister Makes You A Better Person

A fascinating study finds that having a sister makes you a better person. It’s true! You might fight like cats and dogs at times, but in the end she really is helping you become the very best version of yourself. Read on to learn all about the study, plus others that show how much siblings mean to us.

Having A Sister Is A Wonderful Thing

A sister is one who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.  I am so lucky to have a sister. When we were little, we used to fight a lot, but my mom always told us that one day we were going to be best friends and we were going to be able to count on each other for everything. And mom is always right! My sister is my best friend now and I feel so happy and fortunate to have her in my life.

All the childhood memories, the ups, and downs, the arguments, the history, the values. We always found a solution to our problems because we loved each other. I can say now with certainty that my sister is someone I can fully trust. We have shared so many unforgettable moments. And now being able to share the experience of motherhood with her is simply AMAZING!

Yes, sisters are soul mates, best friends, and according to a study, they also make you a better person. Turns out a sister could teach you a lot about conflict resolution, empathy, and how to nurture others. When traveling life’s journey it’s good to have a sister’s hand to hold on to.

Study Finds Having A Sister Makes You A Better Person

Researchers from Brigham Young University found that having sisters boosts your mental health and self-esteem and that people with sisters find themselves striving to protect them from “feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious and fearful.” And obviously, working so hard to protect someone from those kinds of feelings makes you a more nurturing, empathetic person.

Having a sister makes you more compassionate

This is what assistant professor Alex Jensen from Brigham Young University, who has written several studies on sibling relationships, had to say about the study:

“What we know suggests that sisters play a role in promoting positive mental health,” Jensen explains. “Later in life they often do more to keep families in contact with one another after the parents pass.”

And don’t worry if you tend to get into arguments with your sister – these are also good for both of you. “They help you develop social skills, like communication, compromise and negotiation, even sibling conflict, if it is minor, can promote healthy development.”

So, it turns out a sister can teach you about compassion and how to become a kinder, more giving person. If you have one you will definitely learn how to be more patient, work as a team, negotiate, and share your stuff too.

“Even if there is a little bit of fighting, as long as they have affection, the positive will win out,” lead study author Laura Padilla-Walker, a professor in BYU’s School of Family Life, said. “If siblings get in a fight, they have to regulate emotions. That’s an important skill to learn for later in life.”

Brothers benefit from having a sister, too!

In fact, research has found that brothers who grew up with sisters are better at communicating with women than those who were only children or only have brothers. (This applies the other way around, too.)

“Some research suggests that having a sibling who is a different gender from you can be a real benefit in adolescence,” Jensen told Motherly. “Many of those sibling pairs become closer during the teen years because they become good sources of information about the opposite sex.”

That definitely makes a lot of sense. It’s easier for a brother to talk to his sister about girls than it is to talk to his mom, and vice-versa. My son and daughter are still young, so they have a little time before they start talking about this stuff. I see the bond between them already, though, and I know they’ll be a great source of comfort to each other during those turbulent teen years.

What else does science say about the benefits of having siblings?

Curious to know if there are any other science-backed benefits to siblings? Turns out, there are! Here are some of my favorites:

• A 2018 study by Society for Research in Child Development found that siblings help teach each other empathy.
• A 2010 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign study found that having siblings plays a major role in children’s socialization development. In other words, they help us learn how to interact with others better.
• A 2019 study by Elsevier found that only children are more likely to be overweight. So having siblings can even keep you in shape!
• Siblings also protect each other from long-term mental health issues brought on by family conflicts (for example, if you’re going through a divorce), according to a 2018 study from the Society for Research in Child Development.
• Speaking of divorce, this 2013 Ohio State University study found that the more siblings you have, the less likely you are to get divorced later in life.

Other Studies You Might Enjoy Reading:

The best advice my mother ever gave me: “Be nice to your sister. Your friends will come and go, but you will always have your sister. And I promise that someday she will be your best friend.” Well, she was absolutely right!

It really is true, having a sister makes you a better person! It’s so amazing to have one with whom you can share so many things in life. She is and will always be a special friend who brings out your best qualities. Now, go call your sister and tell her that you love her!

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