Abstract
The influence of the broader autism phenotype (BAP) on the adjustment of siblings of children with autism has previously been researched mainly in Western cultures. The present research evaluated a diathesis-stress model of sibling adjustment using a questionnaire study including 80 and 75 mother-typically developing sibling dyads in Taiwan and the United Kingdom (UK). UK siblings reported elevated adjustment difficulties compared to the Taiwanese sample and to normative data. Whilst higher BAP levels were generally associated with greater adjustment difficulties, differences were found across cultures and respondents. Although significant diathesis-stress interactions were found, these were in the opposite direction from those predicted by the model, and differed across cultural settings. Implications for culturally-sensitive sibling support are considered.
Highlights
Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have often been found to be more susceptible to psychological maladjustment than siblings of typically developing children (Lovell and Wetherell 2016; Petalas et al 2012; Walton and Ingersoll 2015; Griffith et al 2014)
Some research has found that typically developing sibling of children with autism (TD sibling) displayed better social competence or positive self-concept (Verte et al 2003; Macks and Reeve 2007; Kaminsky and Dewey 2002) and others have found no difference in comparison to siblings of TD children or normative data (Tomeny et al 2012; Quintero and McIntyre 2010; Rodgers et al 2016; Dempsey et al 2012)
Significant correlations between mother-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and TD sibling broader autism phenotype (BAP) levels revealed that mothers’ view of elevated adjustment difficulties on the SDQ was significantly associated with higher BAP levels in TD siblings in both countries
Summary
Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have often been found to be more susceptible to psychological maladjustment than siblings of typically developing children (Lovell and Wetherell 2016; Petalas et al 2012; Walton and Ingersoll 2015; Griffith et al 2014). Some research has found that typically developing sibling of children with autism (TD sibling) displayed better social competence or positive self-concept (Verte et al 2003; Macks and Reeve 2007; Kaminsky and Dewey 2002) and others have found no difference in comparison to siblings of TD children or normative data (Tomeny et al 2012; Quintero and McIntyre 2010; Rodgers et al 2016; Dempsey et al 2012). It has been estimated that between 12 and 20% of the non-autistic siblings of children with ASD display such traits (Rotatori and Deisinger 2015)
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