Our sisters drive us crazy at the best of times, but a new study has found that having a sister makes you a more optimistic person.
According to a study conducted by researchers at De Montfort University and Ulster University, people who grow up with a sister are happier people.
They may steal our clothes, forget to call us for weeks and hogged the remote like there was no tomorrow when we were kids, but researchers found that sisters are more open to communication, making their siblings feel more supported.
Nearly 600 people took part in the study. They were asked about a variety of topics, including having a positive outlook and mental health.
The participants were aged between 17 and 25.
The team found that sisters encouraged their siblings to talk more, especially if they had something on their mind.
“Sisters appear to encourage more open communication and cohesion in families. Emotional expression is fundamental to good psychological health and having sisters promotes this in families,” said Professor Tony Cassidy.
He added that boys tend to bottle things up, but we need to encourage them to communicate more too.
The researchers said their findings will help promote communication in families, which will help youths who are suffering from mental health disorders. They believe that opening up to their family will relieve some of their stress.
Professor Cassidy added, “I think these findings could be used by people offering support to families and children during distressing times.”
We may have silly tiffs with our sisters from time to time, but they are always there to cheer us up in our time of need.
