title: Psychological and school functioning of Latino siblings of children with intellectual disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Siblings of children with disabilities are at risk for internalizing psychological disorders; however, little is known about how culture influences this effect. This study examined the psychological and school functioning of Latino siblings of children with intellectual disability (ID).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 100 Latino (L) and nonLatino (NL) siblings (8-15 years) of children with ID (50 LID, 50 NLID) and 100 Latino and nonLatino control siblings (50 LC, 50 NLC). Siblings, parents, and teachers completed standard questionnaires regarding sibling emotional and behavioral functioning; sibling school report cards were obtained. Analyses of variance were conducted, controlling for parent age and family income; planned contrasts compared LID siblings to the other sibling groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LID siblings reported significantly more internalizing (t(1) = 2.41, p < .05) and emotional t(1) = 3.06, p < .05) symptoms, poorer awareness of (t(1) = 2.26, p < .01) and greater reluctance to express (t(1) = 3.12, p < .01) their emotions, and more problems in personal adjustment and relationships with parents (t(1) = -2.50, p < .05). Significantly higher percentages of LID siblings scored in the at-risk or clinical range for internalizing and emotional symptoms, and were more likely to score above the clinical cut-off for separation anxiety disorder and to endorse global impairment. LID siblings experienced more school absences and lower academic performance. There were no group differences in externalizing behavior problems, somatic symptoms, or teacher-reported internalizing symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Latino siblings of children with ID are at greater risk for internalizing psychological disorders and greater impairment in personal and school functioning. Results are discussed in terms of their sociocultural significance and clinical implications.
authors.affiliation: Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, RI 02903, USA. debra_lobato@brown.edu
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Plante
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seifer
authors.forename: Edicta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grullon
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheas
authors.forename: Glorisa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Canino
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D012237:Rhode Island; D012307:Risk Factors; D012801:Sibling Relations; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors