According to Adler's theory, how might the brother's behavior around an only girl be characterized?

• A. They become distant.
• B. They are uninterested in family dynamics.
• C. They undermine the daughter's relationship with the father.
• D. They can protectively support her, and she may try harder to please the father.

Answer: (D)

Adlerian theory highlights how siblings influence each other within the family to maintain belonging and find their place. When there is an only girl, a brother often acts protectively toward her to safeguard her position and ensure family harmony. In response, she may strive harder to please the father, seeking his approval and acceptance as part of fitting into the family system. This protective, supportive dynamic from the brother and the daughter’s drive to win paternal affirmation align with Adler’s ideas about how birth order and sibling relationships shape behavior. Patterns like distance, disinterest in family dynamics, or undermining the father-daughter bond don’t fit this relational emphasis as well.