Parental perceptions of sibling relationships in families rearing a child with a chronic condition.
This study examined sibling relationships in families raising children with autism, Down syndrome, orthopedic conditions, and diabetes. Parents from 108 families independently completed the 28-item Schaefer Sibling Inventory of Behavior. Parents rated siblings as very empathetic, fairly often kind and involved, and rarely avoidant. Mothers rated sibling empathy higher than fathers did and older siblings more avoidant than younger siblings. Fathers rated male siblings kinder than female siblings; they also rated siblings of children with Down syndrome or autism more kind and involved than siblings of children with orthopedic conditions or diabetes. Sibling intervention efforts should consider these findings and be individualized according to the need of each child and family.
CGRMC Urgent Care (Casa Grande Regional Medical Center), Casa Grande, AZ, USA. kristamarienielsen@yahoo.com
Krista Marie
KM
Nielsen
Barbara
B
Mandleco
Susanne Olsen
SO
Roper
Amy
A
Cox
Tina
T
Dyches
Elaine S
ES
Marshall
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012801:Sibling Relations