Sibling Caregiving and the Internalisation of Socio-Emotional Values Among Adolescents in Bamenda III

Aim: This study examined the role of sibling caregiving in internalizing socioemotional values (cooperation, sharing, responsibility, empathy, and giving & receiving help) in adolescent children. Methods: The study was conducted in selected quarters in Nkwen located in Bamenda III in Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. The study was anchored on Lave and Wenger's 1991 Situated Learning Theory and Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory. The study adopted a concurrent mixed-method research design whereby quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Overall, 100 adolescents (males and females) and 31 parents participated in the study. Adolescent respondents were purposively selected for the study while their parents were selected through a simple random sampling technique. The adolescents responded to questionnaires while the parents were interviewed. Results: Quantitative data were analyzed using linear regression analysis while qualitative data were analyzed using content thematic analysis. Results show that the p-value is significant given that F (1,98) = 29.946 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). From this it is evident that sibling caregiving has a significantly positive effect on the internalisation of socio-emotional values of adolescents. This result is indicative of the fact that adolescents who took part in the study successfully navigated social challenges, were able to collaborate with their peers, were able to give and receive help, and empathized with others. Conclusion: Parents should encourage sibling caregiving as it fosters essential socio-emotional skills necessary for adulthood. Recommendations: Parents are called upon to train their children with the necessary skills needed to cater to their younger ones like feeding, toileting, bathing, and cooking. Adolescents should understand that taking care of their younger ones is an opportunity to practice their skills as future parents and also to learn other social, cognitive and emotional skills. Policy and decision-makers can identify areas of law-making that will improve parental quality caregiving, sibling caregiving and socioemotional values.