Sibling maltreatment, a narrative study of the experience of the victims

by Hanoski, Tamara D.

Although sibling maltreatment has been described as being the most prevalent fonn of family violence. it is largely ignored or tolerated in our sociery. Various aspects of the phenomenon have been snidied quantitatively. which is helpful in learning about some aspects of the sibling relationship. My aim in this study was to examine the phenornenon qualitatively. in order to provide a descriptive account which capnired the meaning and essence of sibling maltreatment. By using a hermeneutic. narrative approach. I was able to provide rich. detailed stories of the experiences of the participants. I was also able to describe the participants' interpretations and the meaning they had attached to these experiences. These detailed accounts of the "story" of sibling maltreatment add depth and understanding to the phenornenon. which provides several counselling implications and areas for further exploration.