Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCharacteristics of Youngest ChildPsychological Impact on Youngest ChildrenRelationship with Siblings and Family DynamicsCoping Strategies for Youngest Children and Parents
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Table of Contents
Characteristics of Youngest Child
Psychological Impact on Youngest Children
Relationship with Siblings and Family Dynamics
Coping Strategies for Youngest Children and Parents
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When scientists look atpersonalityin adulthood, Julia Rohrer,personality psychologist at Leipzig University, says that they mostly find no systematic differences between firstborns, middle children, and lastborn children with respect to major dimensions of personality, such as emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness to experience.
However, common characteristics and traits have been found.
“There are some that are associated with being the youngest child in a family (such as being risk takers, being spoiled), but there is little evidence that confirms such stereotypes,” says Rohrer.
Experts in This ArticleJulia Rohrer,personality psychologist at Leipzig UniversityLouis J. Kraus, MD,director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University
Experts in This Article
Julia Rohrer,personality psychologist at Leipzig UniversityLouis J. Kraus, MD,director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University
Some common traits and behaviors associated with the youngest children include:
Research from the University of Birmingham and the University of Reading found that the youngest children in families who are not self-employed are nearly 50% more likely to take the risk of going into business. The findings were based on analyzing traits of more than 17,000 children born in 1970, who were surveyed again at 38 years old.
Another study found that the youngest children had the lowest rate of mental health challenges, including emotional, conduct, and attention problems.
Rohrer says of all the research conducted, scientists consistently find small effects on intelligence in samples from the global north.“Firstborns are a little bit smarter, and then on average intelligence declines with birth order position,” she says. However, she adds that these effects are small on average and not deterministic.
“So, in any given family, the youngest child may actually be the smartest. Just when we average across thousands of people do we detect that on average, firstborns are a few points smarter,” says Rohrer.
The reason for characteristics associated with birth order may be age effects.
While the age-related personality differences would disappear with age, they may be “kept alive” within the family context.
“Think of the firstborn who, as a child, gets more responsibility due to her age, and then later keeps being the responsible sibling when the family gets together for Christmas (but not necessarily in other contexts, such as at work or with their peers),” explains Rohrer.
What Is Parentification?
Louis J. Kraus, MD,director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University, says how kids are raised and their genetics both have psychological effects, “but as time goes on and as they grow, the effects are somewhat less obvious and you have to be careful formally labeling anybody,” he says.
[If] you grab an average family with three kids or more, they would describe this dynamic probably more often than not, even if there is no definitive research to support it.—LOUIS J. KRAUS, MD
[If] you grab an average family with three kids or more, they would describe this dynamic probably more often than not, even if there is no definitive research to support it.
—LOUIS J. KRAUS, MD
“With that, there is a question of whether there is a more immature quality with them that they tend to infantilize a bit more, and are a little closer to mom than their older sibling counterparts,” Kraus says. “[If] you grab an average family with three kids or more, they would describe this dynamic probably more often than not, even if there is no definitive research to support it.”
When there are more than two children, he notes that parents need additional help and unintentionally involve the oldest child, or the child takes on the role themselves without being asked.
In families with more than two kids, the youngest child may receive somewhat less attention in the early years of life because they have to “share” it with older siblings. “At the same time, they are likely to experience a period later when the older siblings have moved out, and they get ‘exclusive access’ to parents,” says Rohrer.
She adds that themiddleborn childrenare theoretically the ones who have the largest disadvantage in parental attention. “Maybe attention in younger years matters more and so youngest children do get a worse deal, but in any case, we don’t have much evidence that it affects their personality in the long run,” she says.
Empty Nest Syndrome: How to Cope When the Kids Flee the Coop
Parenting or being the youngest child can come with challenges and advantages. However, acknowledging that birth order may affect your child or you is a great way to embrace it.
Experts share ways to navigate the youngest child syndrome for parents and those living life as the youngest child.
For Parents
As you raise your youngest child, Kraus says, think about what not to do with all your children:
“What you do, is you do the best you can as parents. You try to love your kids equally, you try and support them, and you realize they’re going to have different personalities and are going to be different kids,” he says.
Recognizing that you can’t make kids fall into a line and be exactly as you expect is key, Kraus stresses. “Kids have their own genetics and they react to environmental stressors and support differently. You might see similar characteristics with your kids and you might not,” he notes.
Taking parenting advice from books is okay, but keep in mind that your children are who they are.
“Parents may read one book or another book about how it should be and they might even have certain expectations, but at the end of the day, kids are surprise packages. You don’t know what you’re going to get for sure and the best you can do as a parent is to love and support your kids as equally as you can,” Kraus says.
If you notice your youngest child is struggling with family dynamics, encourage open communication, and if needed, seek out help from a mental health professional who specializes infamily therapy.
For Youngest Children
If you are currently a minor and struggling with being the youngest child, talk with your parents about what’s bothering you and ask if they can help you find a therapist to talk to. If you are uncomfortable talking to your parents, ask a teacher, coach, or another trusted adult to help you.
If you are an adult looking back on your dynamic as the youngest child, Kraus says to try to accept how you were raised and understand that it does not have to define how you live your life today.
Rohrer stresses that the differences between each family dwarf any systematic effects of birth order position. “This does not mean that siblings do not matter for personality; it is quite possible that they do matter—but in highly individual ways that do not result in something like a ‘typical youngest child’ pattern,” she says.
With this notion in mind, try to embrace your unique qualities and strengths as an individual despite your birth order. Consider ways your qualities as a youngest child can help you feel empowered. For inspiration, consider many celebrities and successful people who are the youngest children, including Zooey Deschanel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hilary Duff, and Harry Styles.
If you need help processing your family dynamics and place as the youngest child, reach out to a mental health professional for guidance.
What This Means For YouBeing the youngest child can be difficult at times, and if you feel left out or unheard in your family, talking with your parents or siblings may help. Reaching out to a mental health professional can also help you process being a youngest child. Parents, trying to understand and support your youngest child in their personal growth and development will help them fit into the family dynamic.
What This Means For You
Being the youngest child can be difficult at times, and if you feel left out or unheard in your family, talking with your parents or siblings may help. Reaching out to a mental health professional can also help you process being a youngest child. Parents, trying to understand and support your youngest child in their personal growth and development will help them fit into the family dynamic.
Navigating the Challenges of Eldest Daughter Syndrome
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rohrer JM, Egloff B, Schmukle SC.Examining the effects of birth order on personality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015;112(46):14224–14229. doi:10.1073/pnas.1506451112Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personality and Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Fukuya Y, Fujiwara T, Isumi A, Doi S, Ochi M.Association of birth order with mental health problems, self-esteem, resilience, and happiness among children: results from a-child study. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:638088Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personalityand Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Lehmann JYK, Nuevo-Chiquero A, Vidal-Fernandez M.The early origins of birth order differences in children’s outcomes and parental behavior. Journal of Human Resources. Published online November 2, 2016V. Hotz and J. Pantano,“Strategic Parenting, Birth Order, and School Performance,“NBER Working Paper 19542, October 2013, andJournal of Population Economics, 28(4), 2015, pp. 911-936
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rohrer JM, Egloff B, Schmukle SC.Examining the effects of birth order on personality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015;112(46):14224–14229. doi:10.1073/pnas.1506451112Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personality and Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Fukuya Y, Fujiwara T, Isumi A, Doi S, Ochi M.Association of birth order with mental health problems, self-esteem, resilience, and happiness among children: results from a-child study. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:638088Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personalityand Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Lehmann JYK, Nuevo-Chiquero A, Vidal-Fernandez M.The early origins of birth order differences in children’s outcomes and parental behavior. Journal of Human Resources. Published online November 2, 2016V. Hotz and J. Pantano,“Strategic Parenting, Birth Order, and School Performance,“NBER Working Paper 19542, October 2013, andJournal of Population Economics, 28(4), 2015, pp. 911-936
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rohrer JM, Egloff B, Schmukle SC.Examining the effects of birth order on personality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015;112(46):14224–14229. doi:10.1073/pnas.1506451112Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personality and Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Fukuya Y, Fujiwara T, Isumi A, Doi S, Ochi M.Association of birth order with mental health problems, self-esteem, resilience, and happiness among children: results from a-child study. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:638088Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personalityand Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275Lehmann JYK, Nuevo-Chiquero A, Vidal-Fernandez M.The early origins of birth order differences in children’s outcomes and parental behavior. Journal of Human Resources. Published online November 2, 2016V. Hotz and J. Pantano,“Strategic Parenting, Birth Order, and School Performance,“NBER Working Paper 19542, October 2013, andJournal of Population Economics, 28(4), 2015, pp. 911-936
Rohrer JM, Egloff B, Schmukle SC.Examining the effects of birth order on personality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2015;112(46):14224–14229. doi:10.1073/pnas.1506451112
Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personality and Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275
Fukuya Y, Fujiwara T, Isumi A, Doi S, Ochi M.Association of birth order with mental health problems, self-esteem, resilience, and happiness among children: results from a-child study. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:638088
Han Liang, Greene, Francis J.Are ‘born to rebel’ last-borns more likely to be self-employed?Personalityand Individual Differences. 2016;101:270-275
Lehmann JYK, Nuevo-Chiquero A, Vidal-Fernandez M.The early origins of birth order differences in children’s outcomes and parental behavior. Journal of Human Resources. Published online November 2, 2016
V. Hotz and J. Pantano,“Strategic Parenting, Birth Order, and School Performance,“NBER Working Paper 19542, October 2013, andJournal of Population Economics, 28(4), 2015, pp. 911-936
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