title: Drawing the line: a case study of ambivalence in sibling support for adults with complex needs.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to illuminate the dynamics of sibling group support when one sibling has complex needs accompanied by difficult behaviors. A case study of sibling support for a twenty-year-old woman with a disability, a mental health issue, and addictions, drawn from the perspectives of her full brother, her half-brother, and their mother, is presented. The brothers express ambivalence between devotion to supporting their sister and limits to the support they feel able to provide. The limits the brothers place on their support allow them to adhere to their values, preserve their energy and, ultimately, sustain their ability to provide support.
authors.affiliation: University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada. bmlashew@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lashewicz
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Hina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D005639:Frustration; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008257:Machiavellianism; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000451:nursing*; D012801:Sibling Relations; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult