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In a study of older people with sisters and brothers,
在一項對有兄弟姐妹的老年人進行的調查研究中，
psychologist Debra Gold of the Duke Center for the study of aging and human development found that
杜克中心從事老齡化與人類發展研究的心理學家德布拉·戈爾德發現，
about 20% said they were either hostile or indifferent toward their sisters and brothers.
大約有20%的老人表明他們仇視其兄弟姐妹，或對其十分冷漠。
Reasons for this ranged from inheritance disputes to hostility between spouses.
產生這種現象的原因從繼承糾紛到夫妻仇怨各不相同。
But, many of those who had poor relationships felt guilty.
但是，許多跟兄弟姐妹關系不好的人是心有愧疚的。
Although most people admitted to some lingering rivalry,
盡管許多人承認兄弟姐妹之間存在著一些揮之不去的對抗行為，
it was rarely strong enough to end the relationship.
但這些對抗的確不足以斷絕彼此的關系。
Only four out of the 54 people interviewed had completely broken with their sisters and brothers
54個受訪者中只有4個人與兄弟姐妹斷絕了關系，
and only one of the four felt comfortable with the break.
四個人中只有一個人對這種狀態感到舒適。
As sisters and brothers advanced into old age, closeness increases and rivalry diminishes,
當兄弟姐妹邁入老年時，親密度會上升，而敵對會減少。
explains Victor Cicirelli, a psychologist at Purdue University.
普渡大學的心理學家維克托·奇奇雷利解釋說
Most of the elderly people he interviewed said they had supportive and friendly dealing
他采訪的大多數老年人都表示，他們與兄弟姐妹之間互相支持，
and got along well or very well with their sisters and brothers.
關系友好，相處融洽，有的甚至十分親密。
Only 4% got along poorly.
只有4%的受訪老年人與兄弟姐妹的關系非常糟糕。
Gold found that as people age,
戈爾德發現，當人們上了年紀之后，
they often become more involved with and interested in their sisters and brothers.
他們與兄弟姐妹們的交往會更密切，會對他們更感興趣。
53% of those she interviewed said that contact with their sisters and brothers increase in late adulthood.
53%的受訪者表示，晚年時他們與兄弟姐妹們的交往有所增加。
With family and career obligations reduced, many said they had more time for each other.
隨著家庭和事業責任的減少，許多人表示，他們現在有更多的時間和兄弟姐妹相處。
Others said that they felt it was time to heal wounds.
其他人表示，他們覺得是時候緩和關系了。
A man who had recently reconciled with his brother,
有一個人最近和他的兄弟和解了，
told Gold there's something that let's older people put aside the bad deeds of the past and focus a little on what we need now,
他告訴戈爾德，有些事情會讓老年人放下過去的恩恩怨怨，更加關注于目前的需要，
especially when it's sisters and brothers.
尤其當他們需要兄弟姐妹們時。
