Do I Have Middle Child Syndrome?

Take this quiz to find out if your personality matches your birth order!

"Middle child syndrome" is the idea that the middle children in families have a very unique experience growing up, which causes them to develop specific personality traits, like being a peacemaker, being very independent, or being more rebellious than siblings.

If you're a middle child wondering whether this is true for you, you're in the right place! Just answer these questions, and we'll tell you if it seems like your personality matches up with your birth order.

An illustration of two siblings sitting across from each other with another sibling standing between them and mediating their argument.

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Questions Overview

1. Do you feel like you have to compete with your siblings for your parents' attention?
  1. Yes, all the time!
  2. Sometimes.
  3. Nope, not really.
2. Do you ever feel jealous of your siblings?
  1. Yes, most of the time.
  2. Sometimes, but not often.
  3. No, never!
3. When you're dealing with a tough problem, what do you do?
  1. Handle it myself. I'm very self-sufficient.
  2. Ask my parents for help. They'll know what to do.
  3. Honestly, it depends on the problem.
4. How do you usually act when there's an argument in your friend group?
  1. I pick a side and back that person up.
  2. I mediate and help them work it out.
  3. I ignore it. It's not my problem.
5. How do you feel about being the center of attention?
  1. I love it! I'm very comfortable in the spotlight.
  2. I'm not used to it, so it makes me a little uncomfortable.
  3. I don't mind it, but I don't seek it out either.
6. How would your besties describe you?
  1. Independent, self-sufficient, and agreeable
  2. Responsible, ambitious, and confident
  3. Outgoing, fun-loving, and carefree
  4. Mature, creative, and hardworking
7. Do you ever feel excluded or left out in your family?
  1. Yeah, pretty frequently.
  2. Occasionally, but not all the time.
  3. Nope, I never feel that way.
8. In a group project, what role do you usually play?
  1. I'm the leader who takes charge right away.
  2. I'm the creative one who comes up with cool ideas.
  3. I'm the chill, laidback one who keeps things fun.
  4. I'm the peacemaker who makes sure it all goes smoothly.
9. Would you consider yourself rebellious?
  1. Yup, I've got a rebellious streak.
  2. Maybe a tiny bit, but only sometimes.
  3. Nope, I'm not really rebellious.
10. What's one slightly negative trait you have that you want to work on?
  1. I'm a people-pleaser, so I don't voice my needs enough.
  2. I'm a perfectionist, and I can be way too hard on myself.
  3. I'm kinda stubborn, so I get too upset when things don't go my way.

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What is "middle child syndrome"?

"Middle child syndrome" is the idea that middle children in families get treated differently by their parents, which causes them to develop unique personality traits. For example, classic "middle child" characteristics include increased independence and a tendency to be a peacemaker or mediator.[1] Sometimes, middle children may act out or be a bit more rebellious as a result of feeling overlooked or neglected by their parents as well.[2] In this quiz, we tell you whether your personality seems to line up with these traits. Here are your possible results, and what they might mean about you:


You likely have middle child syndrome.
It seems like you've got a lot of the classic "middle child" traits! You've had to fend for yourself when your parents' attention was elsewhere, so you're super independent. You're also the peacemaker within your family, calming tensions and helping your siblings work out arguments. At times, you've felt a little overlooked, so you may have developed a rebellious side to gain back some of the attention that goes to your older and younger siblings. All in all, though, you're a deeply self-sufficient person with amazing communication skills within your family and beyond!

Although being a middle child can lead to positive traits like independence and peacemaking skills, it can also be a tough experience growing up. Remember to be kind to yourself and to speak up for your needs. You deserve the same amount of love, attention, and care as your siblings!


You have a little bit of middle child syndrome.
It seems like you've got some of the classic "middle child" traits, but not all of them. For example, you may have the independence and self-sufficiency of a typical middle child, but not the tendency to be a peacemaker between your siblings (or vice versa). Or, you could have the slightly rebellious streak that middle children often develop, but not the other typical middle child characteristics. Based on all of this, it seems like you might have a bit of "middle child syndrome," but not a full-blown case.

If you're the middle child in your family, remember to be kind to yourself and to speak up for your needs! Being a middle child can lead to positive traits like independence and peacemaking skills, but it can also be a tough experience growing up. Remember, you deserve the same amount of love, attention, and care as your siblings!


You likely don't have middle child syndrome.
You don't have a ton of the typical "middle child" traits, like being overly independent, being the peacemaker in your family, or having a rebellious streak. With this in mind, it doesn't seem like you've got middle child syndrome. Either you're a super well-adjusted middle child, your family dynamic was different from the norm, or you were trying to trick us, and you aren't the middle child in your family at all!

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References

  1. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/oldest-child-syndrome-and-birth-order
  2. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/health/middle-child-syndrome