Child spacing effects: a comparison of institutionalized and normal children.

Data were collected on 52 psychiatrically abnormal and 101 normal children, as part of a study of the effects of sibship constellation variables on intellect, achievement, personality traits, and social adjustment. The two groups are closely equivalent with respect to age, social class (lower and lower-middle) and sibship size. There was a significantly higher percentage of psychiatrically abnormal than normal children having a sibling less than two years older. conversely, the normal children had a significantly higher percentage of widely spaced (to the next older) than did the psychiatrically abnormal children. Unwantedness by parents (especially the mother) may be a factor in increasing the likelihood of learning and behavioral difficulties and other social disarticulation.