Sibling relationships and family functioning in siblings of early adolescents, adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder

The purpose of the study was to investigate how family functioning (defined as the ability that family members hold to manage stressful events, and intimate and social relationships), the degree to which family members feel happy and fulfilled with each other (called family satisfaction), and the demographical characteristics of siblings (age and gender) impacted on sibling relationships. The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems and Behavioral Systems constituted the theoretical frameworks that guided our study. Eighty-six typically developing adolescents and young adults having a sister or a brother with autism spectrum disorder were enrolled. Results indicated that the youngest age group (early adolescents) reported to engage more frequently in negative behaviors with their siblings with ASD than the two older age groups (middle adolescents and young adults). No significant differences were found among the three age groups regarding behaviors derived from attachment, caregiving and affiliative systems. Family satisfaction and age significantly predicted behaviors during sibling interactions. Suggestions on prevention and intervention programs were discussed in order to prevent parentification among typically developing siblings and decrease episodes of quarrels and overt conflicts between brothers and sisters with and without AS

Le vécu de la fratrie d'un enfant souffrant de handicap mental ou de troubles autistiques

Les auteurs soulignent l’intérêt récent pour le vécu des frères et sœurs d’un enfant atteint d’un handicap dans le domaine mental et plus particulièrement dans les troubles autistiques. Ils décrivent la fonction de la fratrie dans le développement psychique du sujet. Ils analysent dans le domaine du handicap mental en général, les différents facteurs influençant la vie de la fratrie, en fonction de la composition de la fratrie, du type de handicap et du vécu parental. Ils soulignent certaines caractéristiques plus spécifiques au domaine de l’autisme. À partir de leur travail clinique et en s’appuyant sur des études scientifiques, ils tentent de décrire les différentes manières de réagir de la fratrie, se situant selon eux entre deux pôles : la résilience ou l’absorption psychique des membres de la famille par le handicap, qui compromet la santé mentale. Entre ces deux extrêmes, ils décrivent des adaptations plus ou moins réussies. Ils concluent par l’importance qu’il y a à tenir compte de la présence des frères et sœurs dans tout type de prise en charge d’un enfant atteint d’un handicap mental ou d’un trouble autistique.The authors underline the recent interest for the psychic life experience of siblings of children with mental disabilities in particular for autistic disorders. They describe the sibling’s function in the subject’s psychic development. They analyse in the domain of mental disabilities in general, the different factors influencing the sibling’s life: composition of the brotherhood, type of disabilities and parental psychic life experience. They underline certain characteristics more specific of autistic disorders. Based on their clinical practice and on scientific studies, they try to describe the different sibling’s reactions. They define two main thrusts: resiliency and mental health troubles. Between these thrusts, they describe a wide range of, more or less successful, adaptations. They conclude by the importance to take into account the presence of brothers and sisters in all kind of therapeutic work of child with mental disabilities or autistic disorders

Typicality and subtle difference in sibling relationships : experiences of adolescents with autism

Although researchers have explored siblings’ perspectives on their relationships with a brother or sister with autism, there is a lack of research on the perspective of the child with an ASD. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 adolescents with an ASD. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data. Two major themes emerged from the analytic process: 1. Adolescents’ reports of seemingly typical sibling interactions, and 2. A typical sibling interactions influenced by having an ASD. Despite the social context reinforcing views that autism impacts the sibling relationship in an atypical way, the overwhelming sense from participants was of typical sibling relationships. The assumption of atypical relationships in families of children with autism may need to be re-evaluated