The influence of children's theory of mind and sibling relationship quality on sibling teaching in the Chinese family with two children.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Sibling teaching provides an important context for children's cognitive and social development, particularly in families with more than one child. Within the Chinese family context shaped by the two-child policy, older siblings often assume instructional roles. However, limited research has examined how children's theory of mind and sibling relationship quality jointly influence instructional behaviors and learning engagement during sibling teaching interactions. This study aimed to address this gap by examining these associations across different instructional task types.

Methods

Thirty-four sibling dyads from Chinese two-child families participated in structured teaching tasks, including mathematical/spatial and language activities. Firstborn children (aged 6-

SUBMITTER: Cao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12932414 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature