You might assume that being the apple of your mother’s eye could only be a good thing. But adults who believe they are their mother’s favourite child are at an increased risk of depression, according to a study.

Researchers think that being the target of sibling (兄弟姐妹) competition and feeling responsible towards their parents both take their toll on the preferred child. “There is a cost for those who realize they are the closest emotionally to their mothers, and these children report higher depressive symptoms,” said Professor Jill Suitor from Purdue University in Indiana, who led the study. “This cost comes from higher sibling tension experienced by adult children who are favoured for emotional closeness, or the greater feelings of responsibility for the emotional care of their older mothers,” added Dr. Megan Gilligan from Iowa State University, who also worked on the research.

The researchers used data collected from 725 adult children with an average age of 49, analysing levels of emotional closeness, conflict, pride and disappointment.

The researchers said that earlier studies had found that those who were closer to their mothers experienced less closeness with their siblings. Further, tension with siblings has been found to be especially high when adult children are both favoured and provide care for their mothers—a context that is particularly common when mothers are in their late 70s and 80s, as is the case in the present study.

Though few mothers or fathers would admit that they have a favourite son or daughter, studies have suggested they often do. One such piece of research, which was carried out by the University of California in 2005, found that 65 percent of mothers and 70 percent of fathers showed a preference for one of their children over their siblings. Also, a study carried out by Professor Suitor and Dr. Gilligan found that mothers tended to favour an adult child who they thought to be similar to them, in terms of values and beliefs.

Therefore, how we learn to love and be loved by people, how accepted we feel, how easy we find it to relate to others and expect them to relate to us can often connects with our upbringing.

【小题1】The underlined words “take their toll on” in the second paragraph probably mean “________”.

A．set an example for	B．bring benefits to
C．have a bad effect on	D．take advantage of

【小题2】Those who are closest emotionally to their mothers        ________.

A．have heavier work pressure	B．have higher depressive symptoms
C．care for their mothers more	D．have a greater sense of responsibility

【小题3】According to Professor Suitor and Dr. Gilligan, who is likely to be a mother’s favourite adult child?

A．The child who is kind to others.

B．The child who shows respect for her.

C．The child who is responsible for others.

D．The child who has much in common with her.