title: Intra-family stressors among adult siblings sharing caregiving for parents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe a Neuman Systems Model-guided study of perceptions of family stressors experienced by adult siblings who share caregiving for their parents and the influence of these stressors on adult siblings' relationships.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The task of providing informal care for disabled parents is often shared by adult siblings. Family stressors experienced as part of caregiving may affect the sibling relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mixed-method study design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected during 2013-2014 from 84 adult sibling caregivers. Seventy-two caregivers provided quantitative data for the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale and the Zarit Burden Scale and 79 provided qualitative data for the open-ended question.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adult siblings experienced mild-to-moderate levels of burden from family stressors when they share parental caregiving. The amount of burden from intra-family stressors was negatively related to the adult sibling relationship. Beneficial and noxious stressors were evident in the participants' responses to an open-ended question.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health of the parents affected the lives of adult siblings in both negative and positive ways. Although the majority of the adult siblings expressed a willingness to care for their parent(s) in an attempt to reciprocate the care, they had received from them, challenges emerged from dealing with family stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Kent State University, Twinsburg, Ohio, USA.|Department of Nursing, Breckinridge School of Nursing, Warrensville, Ohio, USA.|Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9986-2863
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ngangana
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hampton University, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Bertha L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hampton University, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Hampton University, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Zina T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hampton University, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Arlene J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D012801:Sibling Relations; D035781:Siblings
keywords: Neuman Systems Model; adult siblings; caregivers; family stressors; informal care; mixed-method; nursing; parents; relationship