Sibling Relationships in Adolescence and Early Adulthood With People Who Have Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Cross-sectional (N = 106) and longitudinal (N = 35) samples of siblings (ages 11-38) reported on closeness and conflict in their relationships with sisters and brothers with intellectual disability. For closeness, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) distinguished feelings of emotional closeness from reciprocal sharing behaviors for these siblings. Age effects and changes over time indicated increasing emotional closeness and a general reduction in conflict from adolescence to young adulthood, with stable reciprocal sharing. Cross-sectionally, closeness was greater when siblings were involved in caregiving, and conflict was less when siblings no longer co-resided. Sibling constellation features (sex, birth order, age spacing) had limited effects at this developmental period. Findings support a combination of life-span developmental change and enduring attachment in these sibling relationships.

Adult Siblings Who Have a Brother or Sister with Autism: Between-Family and Within-Family Variations in Sibling Relationships

“…Similar to the findings in this study, prior researchers have reported that sibling constellation and demographic characteristics have relatively little influence on the sibling relationship when one sibling had ASD and/or IDD (Floyd, Costigan, & Richardson, 2016;Hodapp & Urbano, 2007). For example, using the same data set, but analyzing only the sibling closest in age to the brother or sister with ASD, we found that family size was not associated with positive affect in the sibling relationship .…”

“I Would Like to Have a Normal Brother but I’m Happy With the Brother That I Have”: A Pilot Study About Intellectual Disabilities and Family Quality of Life From the Perspective of Siblings

“…Since the uncertainty regarding the future situation of the person with ID is a concern of the siblings, a key issue is planning for the transition when caregiving passes from the parents to the siblings and under what circumstances they wish to assume that role (Heller & Arnold, 2010). Caregiving helps to build closer bonds between siblings; therefore, families and service systems should be conscious of this and acknowledge this fact (Floyd et al, 2016). Also, practices and policies should help siblings who are actual caregivers to attain a more balanced life, between the support given to the person with ID and their family and professional lives (Hodapp, Urbano, & Burke, 2010).…”

“…One aspect that contributes to maintaining the closeness between siblings is the caregiving (Floyd, Costigan, & Richardson, 2016). Siblings of persons with ID support their brothers and sisters with a variety of emotional, physical, and practical assistance given throughout their lives (Hall & Rossetti, 2018).…”

Family impact and adjustment across the lifespan: Siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“…Adolescent and young adult siblings of children with IDD (excluding ASD) who engaged in more caregiving reported more positive emotional bonds and reciprocal sharing with their brothers or sisters (Floyd et al, 2016). Levels of emotional closeness and reciprocal sharing were lowest in brothers who were younger than the individual with IDD, while sisters who lived with their siblings with IDD had the highest levels of reciprocal sharing (Floyd et al, 2016). Hostility toward the child with IDD was higher in families in which the child with IDD had more externalizing and total problems, greater parent-reported impact of IDD on the sibling, and higher parental stress (Shivers & Dykens, 2017).…”