Provided is a silicon-containing layer forming composition for forming a silicon-containing layer which exhibits an anti-reflective function during exposure in a multilayer resist process and, during dry etching, shows a high etching rate against a plasma of fluorine-based gas and a low etching rate against a plasma of oxygen-based gas. The silicon-containing layer forming composition includes a polysiloxane compound having a structural unit of the formula and a solvent. [(R1)bR2mSiOn/2] In the formula, R1 is a group represented by the following formula: (where a is an integer of 1 to 5; and a wavy line means that a line which the wavy line intersects is a bond); R2 is each independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-C3 alkyl group, a phenyl group, a hydroxy group, a C1-C3 alkoxy group or a C1-C3 fluoroalkyl group; b is an integer of 1 to 3; m is an integer of 0 to 2; n is an integer of 1 to 3; and a relationship of b+m+n=4 is satisfied).