Adolescent sibling caregiving and responsibility: Retrospective reports among Mexican-origin young adults

Objective This research examines links between Mexican-origin young adults' cultural values and sibling caregiving behaviors during adolescence and responsibility in young adulthood. Background Responsibility is an important marker of young adulthood, and this skill may be transmitted to youth through familism values. Familism values may guide how youth engage in behaviors (e.g., sibling caregiving), which may help foster responsibility skills during young adulthood. Results Using cultural ecological framework and cultural transmission model, we examined associations among familism values, sibling caregiving, and responsibility among 219 Mexican-origin young adults. We tested a multigroup model with path analysis based on gender and found no gender differences. Family obligation and family referent were positively associated with sibling caregiving. Family support and family referent were positively associated with responsibility. Sibling caregiving was positively associated with responsibility. We found two significant indirect effects. Familism obligation and family referent values were positively associated with sibling caregiving, which in turn was positively associated with responsibility. Conclusion Findings highlight how cultural values and sibling caregiving can be linked to responsibility during young adulthood. Implications Sibling caregiving during youth may provide opportunities to build valuable skills in young adulthood. Cultural values may inform family behaviors and in turn young adulthood responsibility.