Adolescent and young adult (AYA) siblings of individuals with autism experience unique challenges that can promote both growth and emotional maladjustment. This study explored sibling and parent reports of siblings' lived experiences and identified learning, stressors, and concerns from those experiences. 20 neurotypical (NT) AYA siblings (ages…

The present study examined 97 adolescent siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), or no disabilities. Siblings reported on their feelings toward their brother or sister (anxiety, hostility, and positive affect), and parents reported on general optimism, child behavior problems,…

Social support can buffer against stressors often associated with having family members with autism spectrum disorder. This study included 112 parents and typically developing siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Relations between self-reported typically developing sibling emotional and behavioral problems and discrepancy between…

Despite the prevalence of studies showing increased stress among mothers of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, few studies have examined general stress among typically developing siblings. This study used an online survey to compare the levels of self-reported stress between adolescent siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder…

Siblings play an important role in shaping the developmental trajectories of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Having siblings has been associated with better social communication, non-verbal communication, and theory of mind abilities in autism spectrum disorder. However, little is known about the impact of siblings on adaptive skill…

The expectations and role of families in the care of children with autism spectrum disorder are increasingly important. Nonetheless, no study has thus far explored the perspectives of siblings about the care received by a brother or sister with this disorder. The objective of this study was to fill this gap in the literature. This multicentre…

The potential clinical needs of typically developing (TD) siblings of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain disputed. A total of 239 mothers of youth aged 6-17, including one youth with ASD (M = 11.14 years; simplex families) and at least one other youth (M = 11.74 years) completed online standardized measures of various familial…

Background: Researchers studying siblings of people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggest that growing up with an individual with disability has positive and negative effects. Method: Qualitative content analysis of semistructured interviews with 14 typically developing (TD) adolescents with a brother with an ASD and their mothers was…

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of typically developing siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders regarding their own quality of life. The researcher also sought to discover if there were specific characteristics that affected the typically developing siblings' descriptions of their lives. In order to achieve…

Siblings of children with autism are in a unique position. They face challenges (similar to those that parents encounter), but at a time before they've developed appropriate coping strategies. As a result, they need support to ensure that they're informed, feel respected, and know how to be compassionate advocates for their brothers and sisters on…

Research with siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) suggests that they may be at increased risk for behavioural and emotional problems and relatively poor sibling relationships. This study investigated a diathesis-stress model, whereby the presence of Broad Autism Phenotype features in the typically developing siblings might…

The purpose of this study was to test a diathesis-stress model of well-being for siblings who have a brother or sister with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data were collected from 57 adolescents and their mothers. Sisters reported higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms than brothers. Having a family history of ASDs was associated…

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…

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2018, organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and…

In this article, we review the literature on siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from a lifespan developmental perspective, from infancy through adulthood, focusing on the sibling relationship and sibling well-being. We situate this review within the larger body of research on siblings of individuals with developmental…