Only children do not lack social skills

A new study has revealed that growing up without siblings does not mean a child will lack social skills later on in life.

The US research has contradicted a previous study which suggested that only children had poorer social skills than those with siblings.

The new study involved more than 13,000 11 to 18 year olds and found that only children were chosen as school friends just as often as those who had siblings.

The researchers took data from the National Study of Adolescent Health, for which students at more than 100 schools were interviewed.

Each of the students was given a list of all students at their school and were asked to identify up to five male and five females friends. This allowed the researchers to assess the popularity of each student.

They found that each student was nominated an average of five other fellow students as a friend, proving that there is little difference in the popularity of those with siblings and those without.

Donna Bobbitt-Zeher is co-author of the study and has expressed that those who don’t have peer interaction at home with siblings still get lots of opportunities to develop social skills as they go through school.

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