They may claim to love their children equally but parents often have favourites, a study has found, with daughters and more agreeable offspring more likely to get preferential treatment. Decades of research points to less-favoured siblings experiencing poorer mental health, less academic success and unhealthier adult relationships. However, much less is known about which children tend to be preferred in the first place. The study, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, combined the findings of dozens of previous pieces of research. Children who were conscientious, meaning they were responsible and organised, were more likely to get more

Source: The Times January 16, 2025 16:52 UTC