Group Intervention For Siblings Research Articles

Manual-Based Group Intervention for Siblings and Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Cambodia

Siblings of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) are at increased risk of mental health problems. The burden on families of children with ND is exacerbated in low-income countries with limited health services and dependency on informal care systems. Yet, there is little research on family impacts of ND in non-Western settings, and no evidence-based interventions for siblings. We examined initial outcomes and feasibility of a manual-based intervention for siblings and parents of children with ND, called SIBS, delivered in Cambodia. SIBS has promising evidence from an open trial in Norway. We delivered eight groups for 52 siblings (M age = 12.7 years, SD = 2.7; 44.0% female) and 56 caregivers (M age = 43.5 years, SD = 8.5; 61.1% mothers) of 54 children with ND at the only public child mental health clinic in Cambodia. We aimed to improve sibling and parent mental health and family communication. The SIBS intervention comprises three separate sibling/parent group sessions and two joint sibling-parent dialogue sessions. Parent-reported mental health scores for siblings were higher than sibling self-report. Parent mental health problems at baseline were high, with no difference between mothers and fathers. There was significant improvement in parent mental health and parent-rated mental health for siblings from baseline to 4-month post-intervention (effect sizes d = 0.44 to 0.52). There was no change in sibling-reported mental health or family communication. Sibling- and parent-rated user satisfaction was high. We conclude that the SIBS intervention showed promise in Cambodia. However, revision of the communication component is needed.

Group intervention for siblings and parents of children with chronic disorders (SIBS-RCT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSiblings and parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders are at risk of mental health problems and poorer family communication. Some group interventions for siblings exist, but few have clearly described parent components and none are considered evidence-based.MethodsWe are conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing a five-session manual-based group intervention for siblings (aged 8 to 16 years) and parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders to a 12-week waitlist, called SIBS-RCT. The intervention comprises three separate sibling and parent group sessions and two joint sessions in which each sibling talks to their parent alone. The intervention aims at improving parent-child communication and covers themes such as siblings’ understanding of the neurodevelopmental disorder, siblings’ emotions, and perceived family challenges. Participants are recruited through municipal and specialist health centers across Norway. The primary outcome is sibling mental health. Quality of life and family communication are secondary outcomes. Participants are block-randomized to the intervention or 12-week waitlist in groups of six. Measures are collected electronically at pre- and post-intervention/waitlist, as well as 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. The main effect to be examined is the difference between the intervention and waitlist at 12 weeks post. All outcomes will also be examined using growth curve analyses. We plan to include 288 siblings and their parents by the end of 2022.DiscussionSIBS-RCT represents a major contribution to the research and practice field towards establishing an evidence-based intervention for siblings. In the event that intervention and waitlist are no different, the impact of SIBS-RCT is still substantial in that we will aim to identify participant subgroups that show positive response and effective components of the SIBS manual by examining group leader adherence as an outcome predictor. This will allow us to continue to re-engineer the SIBS manual iteratively to improve outcomes, and avoid the promotion of a less-than-optimal intervention.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04056884. Registered in August 2019

A Group Intervention for Siblings of Pediatric Cancer Patients

A group intervention to reduce emotional and behavioral problems in siblings of children with cancer was evaluated. Forty-seven siblings aged 6 to 14 years participated in seven groups, with 4 to 9 siblings in each group. Groups consisted of eight weekly two-hour sessions guided by a manual. Four assessments were conducted: two before the intervention and two after the intervention. Children completed self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and behavior; parents reported on siblings' anxiety and behavior. After the intervention, siblings reported significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and parents reported significant reductions in siblings' anxiety and behavior problems. An interaction between intervention, age, and gender indicated that adolescent girls had more depressive symptoms than adolescent boys did before the intervention and younger girls did after the intervention. The findings suggest that group intervention benefits siblings of children with cancer, with age and gender influencing this effect.

Preliminary Investigation of a Group Intervention for Siblings of Pediatric Cancer Patients

This manuscript describes the Siblings Coping Together program, a group intervention that addresses emotional and behavior problems of siblings of children with cancer and presents preliminary findings. The program is manualized and consists of 8 weekly 2-hr sessions. Each session focuses on a predetermined theme with specific goals and activities. Seventeen siblings participated in a pre- and post group pilot evaluation. Data were collected from children and parents using standardized instruments, a satisfaction questionnaire, and a group process log completed by therapists. Siblings' reports suggest a trend in the reduction of anxiety and depressive symptoms post intervention, siblings and parents reported satisfaction with the intervention group, and the results of the analysis of the group log illustrated trends in group development. This preliminary study exemplifies key group intervention components for this population and supports the need for further systematic evaluation of the intervention program.