Communicative behaviours of sibling dyads composed of a child with autism and a typically developing child

Abstract

This study documented the communicative behaviors exhibited by sibling dyads comprised of one typically developing child and his/her sibling with autism. Six US families participated in one 45-minute home observation of sibling interactions, a 20-minute semi-structured interview with the typically developing child, and a 20-minute semi-structured interview with the siblings’ parents. Dyads varied across birth order, ages, and genders. Observational data were coded to reveal 38 categories of communicative behaviors and their frequency of occurrence. Interviews yielded information about the siblings’ usual interactions and parents’ perceptions about their children’s relationships. Families provided evidence of sibling support for the communication skills of the child with autism. Findings have implications for siblingmediated facilitation of communicative behaviors in children with autism.