Brothers are bad for your health

According to an article on the BBC news health site, having a sister is more conducive to good health than having a brother. The article says that sisters spread happiness whilst brothers spread distress. The researchers from Ulster University found that having girls in the family facilitated openness and communication, and girls were more supportive during difficult times. Brothers on the other hand are more inclined to internalize their problems, and clam up, leading to poorer communication in families. The researchers found that people growing up in families with sisters were happier and had fewer psychological problems.
I thought this was a fascinating bit of gender-based research, and wondered if other people think that sisters have a positive influence on psychological health and family behaviour?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7977454.stm