Siblings of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder: Sibling relationships and wellbeing in adolescence and adulthood

• Published in: Autism : the international journal of research and practice 2009-01, Vol.13 (1), p.59-80
• Main Authors: Orsmond, Gael I., Kuo, Hsin-Yu, Seltzer, Marsha Mailick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Adulthood; Adults; Age Differences; Asperger Syndrome - diagnosis; Asperger Syndrome - psychology; Autism; Autistic adolescents; Autistic Disorder - diagnosis; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Autistic spectrum disorders; Behavior Problems; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology; Comorbidity; Coping; Coping strategies; Emotions; Family support; Female; Humans; Intellectual Disability - diagnosis; Intellectual Disability - psychology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - psychology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Parent Child Relationship; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Positive affect; Positive emotions; Prediction; Problem Solving; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quality of Life - psychology; Sibling Relations; Sibling Relationship; Sibling relationships; Siblings; Social Support; Social Support Groups; Teenagers; Well Being; Wellbeing; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1362-3613; 1461-7005
• DOI: 10.1177/1362361308097119

We investigated sibling relationships and wellbeing in adolescents and adults with a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Adolescents engaged in more shared activities than did adults. Adolescents reported greater social support, greater use of emotion-focused coping strategies, and less use of problem-focused coping than adults. In adulthood, females with a sister with ASD reported the most positive affect in the sibling relationship and men with a sister with ASD the least. Adolescents engaged in more shared activities and reported more positive affect in their sibling relationship when their sibling with ASD had fewer behavior problems; greater use of problem-focused coping buffered the negative effects of behavior problems on sibling engagement. For adults, more shared activities were observed when the sibling with ASD was younger in age and had fewer behavior problems; greater positive affect in sibling relationships was predicted by greater parental support.