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Ever wondered if your parents had a favorite child? It turns out they might. A new study published in the Psychological Bulletin reveals that parents are more likely to favor daughters and children who display responsible and conscientious behavior.
“For decades, researchers have known that differential treatment from parents can have lasting consequences for children,” says lead author Alexander Jensen, Ph.D., an associate professor at Brigham Young University. “This study helps us understand which children are more likely to be on the receiving end of favoritism, which can have both positive and negative outcomes.”
The research examines how children’s traits influence the way parents treat them, while considering factors such as child age, parent gender, and measurement methods. The study conducted a meta-analysis of 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and dissertations, covering 19,469 participants. It focused on personality traits like extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, alongside birth order, gender, and temperament.
Parental favoritism can manifest in various ways, including the amount of time and money parents spend on each child, the level of control they exercise, and the quality of interactions. The researchers looked at five areas: overall treatment, positive interactions, negative interactions, resource allocation, and control.
Initially, the researchers hypothesized that mothers might favor daughters and fathers would favor sons. However, the study found that both mothers and fathers were more likely to favor daughters. In addition, children who were conscientious—organized, responsible, and disciplined—tended to receive more favorable treatment, likely because they are easier for parents to manage.
Jensen was surprised by one finding: extraversion, a trait highly valued in American culture, did not correlate with favoritism within families. “It seems that within families, the ease of managing a child and their temperament matter more than being outgoing,” Jensen explained.
The study also explored how birth order influences parental treatment. Older siblings often received more autonomy, likely due to their perceived maturity, Jensen added.
While factors like the child’s age and the parent’s gender did play a minimal role, the researchers emphasized that parental favoritism is a complex phenomenon influenced by various, sometimes subtle, factors.
However, favoritism isn’t without consequences. Siblings who feel less favored often experience poorer mental health and strained relationships with their families. “Recognizing these patterns is essential for both parents and clinicians to ensure that all children feel valued and supported,” Jensen noted.
The study aims to raise awareness about parental biases and encourage fairer treatment for all children. “It’s important to remember that while this research shows a correlation, it doesn’t explain why parents favor certain children,” Jensen said. “But it does highlight areas where parents might need to be more mindful of their interactions.”
So, the next time you feel like your sibling might be the “golden child,” remember, it might not just be about birth order or gender. Responsibility, temperament, and ease of management could play significant roles in how your parents treat each of you.
For more information, refer to the study: “Parents Favor Daughters: A Meta-Analysis of Gender and Other Predictors of Parental Differential Treatment,” Psychological Bulletin (2025). [Link](www.apa.org/pubs/journals/rele … s/bul-bul0000458.pdf)
