Siblings Of Individuals Research Articles

Emerging Adult Siblings of Individuals with Schizophrenia: Experiences with Family Crisis

The developmental process of siblings of individuals with schizophrenia can be complicated due to crises, as well as numerous individual and familial changes. This qualitative study uses grounded theory techniques to analyze the lived experiences of emerging adult siblings (ages 18–30 years) of individuals with schizophrenia. We conducted 23 one-on-one intensive interviews with sibling participants, using open-ended questions and prompts. Based on the results of the analysis, themes emerged from interview responses related to the influence of the family’s coping style during times of crisis and the quality of the family relationships. Findings suggested that parental attunement was correlated with relational closeness in the family, even if parents struggled to master the tasks related to crisis management. To assist siblings and their families in maintaining relationships and to assist with coping, practitioners need to support families around developing developmentally sensitive coping techniques that include all members of the family.

Toward identifying reproducible brain signatures of obsessive-compulsive profiles: rationale and methods for a new global initiative

BackgroundObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a lifetime prevalence of 2–3% and is a leading cause of global disability. Brain circuit abnormalities in individuals with OCD have been identified, but important knowledge gaps remain. The goal of the new global initiative described in this paper is to identify robust and reproducible brain signatures of measurable behaviors and clinical symptoms that are common in individuals with OCD. A global approach was chosen to accelerate discovery, to increase rigor and transparency, and to ensure generalizability of results.MethodsWe will study 250 medication-free adults with OCD, 100 unaffected adult siblings of individuals with OCD, and 250 healthy control subjects at five expert research sites across five countries (Brazil, India, Netherlands, South Africa, and the U.S.). All participants will receive clinical evaluation, neurocognitive assessment, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The imaging will examine multiple brain circuits hypothesized to underlie OCD behaviors, focusing on morphometry (T1-weighted MRI), structural connectivity (Diffusion Tensor Imaging), and functional connectivity (resting-state fMRI). In addition to analyzing each imaging modality separately, we will also use multi-modal fusion with machine learning statistical methods in an attempt to derive imaging signatures that distinguish individuals with OCD from unaffected siblings and healthy controls (Aim #1). Then we will examine how these imaging signatures link to behavioral performance on neurocognitive tasks that probe these same circuits as well as to clinical profiles (Aim #2). Finally, we will explore how specific environmental features (childhood trauma, socioeconomic status, and religiosity) moderate these brain-behavior associations.DiscussionUsing harmonized methods for data collection and analysis, we will conduct the largest neurocognitive and multimodal-imaging study in medication-free subjects with OCD to date. By recruiting a large, ethno-culturally diverse sample, we will test whether there are robust biosignatures of core OCD features that transcend countries and cultures. If so, future studies can use these brain signatures to reveal trans-diagnostic disease dimensions, chart when these signatures arise during development, and identify treatments that target these circuit abnormalities directly. The long-term goal of this research is to change not only how we conceptualize OCD but also how we diagnose and treat it.

Self-reported Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and Anxiety Among Greek School-Age Siblings of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Relation to Parental Mental Health and Social Support.

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and anxiety were measured in 233 school-age siblings of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and siblings of Typically Developing (TD) children in Greece. The aim of the study was to investigate for any association between siblings' HRQOL or anxiety and parental mental health, perceived social support as well as major demographic factors. It was found that the disability group (ASD-sibs) showed elevated anxiety levels and poorer HRQOL than controls. In hierarchical multiple regression models, the anxiety of ASD-sibs was significantly associated with parental anxiety independent of parental perceived social support and demographic factors, whereas the HRQOL of ASD-sibs was associated with perceived social support independent of parental physical and mental health and demographic factors.

Social Connections Among Siblings With and Without Intellectual Disability or Autism.

Although the significance of sibling relationships is widely affirmed, little is known about these relationships in young adulthood. In this study, we examined the experiences and perspectives of 155 siblings (ages 18-30) of individuals with intellectual disability or autism. Our focus was on how young adults spend time with their brother or sister with a disability, the ways in which they view their relationship, and the expectations they hold for the future. We found that most siblings spent time together engaging in a wide range of activities, described their relationships as of high quality, and held varied expectations regarding their brother's or sister's future. Several factors were associated with more time spent together and higher quality relationships. We address implications for practice and suggest future directions for research.

Sibling Relationships, Disability, Chronic, and Mental Illness: Development of the Siblings’ Experience Quality Scale (SEQS)

The goal of this study is to propose the Siblings’ Experience Quality Scale (SEQS), a measure for the assessment of cognitive, emotional and behavioral experience of adult individuals having a brother or sister with an intellectual/developmental disability, chronic physical illness or mental illness, on five dimensions: Closeness, Conflict, Jealousy, Self-Marginalization, and Worry. A sample of 213 Italian adult typically developing siblings (ages 18–69 yrs.) was used to demonstrate the psychometric validity of the scale. Results of confirmatory factor analysis, which resulted in high scores of goodness of fit, supported five identifiable factors reflecting the theoretically-based constructs of the SEQS and demonstrated convergence with the general construct of siblings’ quality of experience. Correlations with the Lifespan Sibling Relationships Scale (LSRS), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) demonstrated the construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. In particular, Jealousy, Conflict, Worry, and Self-Marginalization were negatively correlated with LSRS, while Closeness was positively correlated with LSRS; Worry and Self-Marginalization were positively correlated with BDI-II; and the majority of the SEQS subscales were not correlated with the AQ. Furthermore, siblings of individuals with intellectual/developmental disability showed higher scores on Closeness and Worry, while siblings of individuals with chronical physical illness showed higher scores on Jealousy, and siblings of individuals with mental illness showed higher scores on Conflict. Finally, siblings with higher Self-Marginalization and Worry scores showed higher levels of internalizing problems, as well as anger and hostility. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Generalized joint hypermobility in siblings with anterior cruciate ligament injuries and matched unrelated healthy siblings.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are common knee injuries, and siblings of individuals with an ACL injury may be at higher risk of ACL injury. Generalized hypermobility may be a familial factor predisposing siblings to ACL injury and may also relate to faulty lower limb alignment. There is a need to determine whether the interaction between hypermobility, family history, and faulty alignment makes siblings with hypermobility at higher risk for ACL injury so that appropriate preventative measures can be taken. This study therefore aimed to (a) compare the prevalence of generalized hypermobility and faulty limb alignment in siblings with and without injury and (b) assess the relationship between generalized hypermobility and lower limb alignment. In this case-controlled study, 24 siblings with ACL injuries from 10 families were matched with 24 healthy uninjured siblings from 10 unrelated families. Generalized hypermobility was assessed using Beighton's criteria. Chi-square analyses compared generalized hypermobility and lower limb alignment between siblings and sibling pairs with and without injuries. Spearman's rho was used to assess correlations between generalized hypermobility and lower limb alignment. There were significant differences between the number of injured and uninjured siblings demonstrating generalized hypermobility when tallied individually (p = .003) and in same-family sibling pairs (p = .019). Significant (or close) differences were found between siblings for knee hyperextension (p < .001), knee valgus (p = .01), and foot pronation (p = .002) and for sibling pairs sharing knee hyperextension (p < .001), knee valgus (p = .06), and foot pronation (p = .06). Generalized hypermobility correlated with knee hyperextension (rs = .722; p < .001), knee valgus (rs = .385; p = .007), and foot pronation (rs = .328; p = .023). Generalized hypermobility and faulty limb alignment occur significantly more frequently in injured than uninjured families. Screening for both features would assist in identifying at-risk siblings. Prevention programmes reduce ACL injuries by 50-70% and should target hypermobile siblings of the ACL injured.

Altered thalamocortical structural connectivity in persons with schizophrenia and healthy siblings

Schizophrenia has long been framed as a disorder of altered brain connectivity, with dysfunction in thalamocortical circuity potentially playing a key role in the development of the illness phenotype, including psychotic symptomatology and cognitive impairments. There is emerging evidence for functional and structural hypoconnectivity between thalamus and prefrontal cortex in persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, as well as hyperconnectivity between thalamus and sensory and motor cortices. However, it is unclear whether thalamocortical dysconnectivity is a general marker of vulnerability to schizophrenia or a specific mechanism of schizophrenia pathophysiology. This study aimed to answer this question by using diffusion-weighted imaging to examine thalamocortical structural connectivity in 22 persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SZ), 20 siblings of individuals with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SIB), and 44 healthy controls (HC) of either sex. Probabilistic tractography was used to quantify structural connectivity between thalamus and six cortical regions of interest. Thalamocortical structural connectivity was compared among the three groups using cross-thalamic and voxel-wise approaches. Thalamo-prefrontal structural connectivity was reduced in both SZ and SIB relative to HC, while SZ and SIB did not differ from each other. Thalamo-motor structural connectivity was increased in SZ relative to SIB and HC, while SIB and HC did not differ from each other. Hemispheric differences also emerged in thalamic connectivity with motor, posterior parietal, and temporal cortices across all groups. The results support the hypothesis that altered thalamo-prefrontal structural connectivity is a general marker of vulnerability to schizophrenia, whereas altered connectivity between thalamus and motor cortex is related to illness expression or illness-related secondary factors.

Predictive impact of rare genomic copy number variations in siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders

Identification of genetic biomarkers associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) could improve recurrence prediction for families with a child with ASD. Here, we describe clinical microarray findings for 253 longitudinally phenotyped ASD families from the Baby Siblings Research Consortium (BSRC), encompassing 288 infant siblings. By age 3, 103 siblings (35.8%) were diagnosed with ASD and 54 (18.8%) were developing atypically. Thirteen siblings have copy number variants (CNVs) involving ASD-relevant genes: 6 with ASD, 5 atypically developing, and 2 typically developing. Within these families, an ASD-related CNV in a sibling has a positive predictive value (PPV) for ASD or atypical development of 0.83; the Simons Simplex Collection of ASD families shows similar PPVs. Polygenic risk analyses suggest that common genetic variants may also contribute to ASD. CNV findings would have been pre-symptomatically predictive of ASD or atypical development in 11 (7%) of the 157 BSRC siblings who were eventually diagnosed clinically.

Perspectives about adult sibling relationships: A dyadic analysis of siblings with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities

Most siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) report positive sibling relationships. However, extant research often only examines the perspective of the nondisabled sibling; it is unclear whether siblings with IDD report close sibling relationships. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand adult sibling relationships from the perspectives of both siblings with and without IDD. Using dyadic interviews, we examined the perspectives of eight adult sibling dyads. The study was conducted in the United States. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis and cross-case analysis to identify themes within and across dyads. Overall, siblings with and without IDD reported enjoying spending time with one another. However, siblings with and without Down syndrome (versus autism spectrum disorder) reported more reciprocal sibling relationships, more frequent contact, and a greater range of shared activities. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Mortality risks associated with sibling heart failure

BackgroundThe mortality in individuals with a family history of heart failure (HF) has not been determined. This nationwide sib-pair study aimed to determine mortality in individuals with a sibling affected with HF. MethodsSib-pairs were linked using the Swedish Multi-Generation Register, the Hospital Discharge Register and the Cause of Death Register for the period 1987–2012. Families with cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease were excluded.Mortality hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for siblings of individuals who had been diagnosed with HF compared with siblings of individuals unaffected by HF as the reference group. Similar analyses were made for spouses. HRs were determined for overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and death of unknown cause. ResultsAmong siblings, the adjusted HR for overall mortality was 1.21 (95% CI 1.18–1.25). This risk remained (HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.15–1.23) also among subjects without HF themselves. The adjusted HRs for cardiovascular mortality and death of unknown cause were 1.39 (95% CI 1.32–1.45) and 1.58 (95% CI 1.29–1.95), respectively. The mortality risk associations with spousal HF were all minimal, with an overall mortality HR of 1.02 (1.01–1.02). Early sibling age of onset of HF < 50 years was associated with higher HRs for overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and death of unknown cause, 1.33 (1.27–1.41), 1.54 (1.40–1.68) and 1.84 (1.27–2.67), respectively. ConclusionsSibling HF, especially early-onset HF, is associated with increased mortality. The low risk in spouses suggests genetic factors might be of importance. Screening for HF, and cardiovascular disease in general, in these individuals may be warranted.

Examining the Relation Between Disability Severity Among Older Adults with Disabilities and Sibling Caregiving

Given the longer lives of individuals with disabilities and the increasing likelihood of siblings fulfilling family caregiving roles, it is critical to identify correlates of sibling caregiving. Yet, little research has examined the relation between the severity of the disability and sibling caregiving. The purpose of this study was to understand the relation between the severity of the disability (defined as functional ability and maladaptive behaviors) and sibling caregiving, including advocacy and future planning. Adult siblings of older individuals with disabilities ( N = 141) completed a national survey. Results indicated that individuals with less functional ability were significantly more likely to receive greater sibling caregiving, advocacy, and future planning. There was a nonlinear relation with respect to sibling caregiving and functional ability with individuals with severe disabilities requiring disproportionately greater sibling caregiving. Furthermore, there was a nonlinear relation between maladaptive behaviors and caregiving demands such that siblings of individuals with the greatest asocial behaviors reported significantly greater caregiving demands.

Empathy and perceptions of their brother or sister among adolescent siblings of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundAlthough clinicians have hypothesized that siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may exhibit more empathy and understanding of others, no studies have yet examined empathy among siblings of individuals with ASD. AimsThe current study examined self- reported empathy and feelings about adolescents' brothers or sisters with and without ASD. Methods and ProceduresAdolescent siblings (age 12–18) of individuals with (n=26) or without ASD (n=48) completed an online survey with measures of empathy and their feelings about their brother or sister, as well as an open ended task asking them for three "magic wishes." Outcomes and ResultsSiblings of individuals with ASD (ASD- Sibs) reported significantly more perspective-taking than did siblings of typically-developing individuals (TD-Sibs). Perspective-taking was significantly related to feelings of positive affect toward the brother/sister for both groups. ASD-Sibs also were significantly more likely to report wishes related to their family, while TD-Sibs reported more wishes for themselves. Conclusions and ImplicationsFindings suggest that potentially higher levels of perspective-taking ability among ASD-Sibs may contribute to better understanding of and therefore more positive affect toward their brother or sister with ASD. More research is needed to understand patterns of empathy among ASD-Sibs.

Growing up with a brother diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

The relationship between siblings is often the longest lasting relationship within an individual’s life (Cicirelli, 1995). This relationship is especially important for individuals with developmental difficulties, since their siblings are usually those who undertake the role of caregivers, after the parents are no longer available to do so. However, recent research suggests that establishing a close relationship with a sibling diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be considerably more challenging compared to siblings with other developmental difficulties (Tomeny et.al., 2017). Although the siblings of individuals diagnosed with ASD have received a certain amount of attention in the last decade worldwide, this area is still under-researched in Croatia, and is insufficiently addressed in interventions aimed at helping families with children diagnosed with ASD. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of siblings living with a brother with ASD and their perceptions of the received and needed support. Six semi-structured interviews with adult siblings of individuals with ASD were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Generally, most of the interviewed individuals show a relatively high level of acceptance and affection towards their brother and feel that they have adapted to the brother’s condition. Although they mentioned some positive experiences and outcomes, they reported on many difficult aspects of growing up with their brother on the autism spectrum. None of them received any professional support during their growing up, and their opinions about the potential usefulness of programs targeted at siblings are divided.

Correlates of current caregiving among siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) grow older, siblings are likely to become caregivers for their brothers and sisters with IDD. Thus, it is important to identify the correlates of sibling caregiving to facilitate transitions to caregiving roles. This study involved the secondary analysis of a national data set of 429 adult siblings of individuals with IDD. Current sibling caregiving was positively correlated with sibling relationship quality, sibling advocacy and future planning, maladaptive behaviours of individuals with IDD, and family size. Current sibling caregiving was negatively correlated with parent caregiving abilities and functional abilities of individuals with IDD. Further, among siblings who provided care, the level and nature of sibling caregiving were negatively correlated with parent caregiving abilities. The results identify the correlates of current caregiving among siblings of individuals with IDD. More research is needed to understand current sibling caregiving.

The sibling’s perspective: experiences of having a sibling with a learning disability and behaviour described as challenging

Purpose Siblings of individuals with disabilities provide the most long-term care for an individual with disabilities, yet research on their experiences is limited. A majority of previous research focuses on young siblings from a parent’s viewpoint. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of having a sibling with a disability and behaviour described as challenging from adult siblings’ perspectives. Design/methodology/approach Six adult siblings of individuals with intellectual disabilities and behaviour described as challenging were interviewed about their responsibilities pertaining to their sibling, family relationships and the support that had been provided. The study used semi-structured interview methodology based on interview questions from previous research. Findings Siblings described a multifaceted impact on their lives. They attributed aspects of their career choices, personal characteristics and family dynamics to having a sibling with a disability and behaviour that challenges. Siblings stressed the inadequate support that they have received throughout their lives. They are, in a sense, the invisible carers for their sibling but they are perceived by society as just a sibling. Siblings described an optimistic perspective on their lives, even though they expressed the difficulties that they have faced. Research limitations/implications Due to the recruitment process and limited demographic of the participants, the findings may not be generalisable to the general population of siblings of individuals with disabilities. Further research should focus on a broader population. Practical implications This study reinforces the need for more support for siblings of individuals with disabilities in childhood and in adulthood. Originality/value This paper provides perspectives of individuals that have not been fully represented in previous research.

Cortical surface architecture endophenotype and correlates of clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

Prior structural magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated atypical gray matter characteristics in siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, they did not clarify which aspect of gray matter is related to the endophenotype (i.e., genetic vulnerability) of ASD. Further, because they did not enroll siblings of typically developing (TD) people, they may have underestimated the difference between individuals with ASD and their unaffected siblings. The current study aimed to address these gaps. We recruited 30 pairs of adult male siblings (15 pairs with an ASD endophenotype and 15 pairs without) and focused on four gray matter parameters: cortical volume and three surface-based parameters (cortical thickness, fractal dimension, and sulcal depth [SD]). First, we sought to identify a pattern of an ASD endophenotype, comparing the four parameters. Then, we compared individuals with ASD and their unaffected siblings in the cortical parameters to identify neural correlates for the clinical diagnosis accounting for the difference between TD siblings. A sparse logistic regression with a leave-one-pair-out cross-validation showed the SD as having the highest accuracy for the identification of an ASD endophenotype (73.3%) compared with the other three parameters. A bootstrapping analysis accounting for the difference in the SD between TD siblings showed a significantly large difference between individuals with ASD and their unaffected siblings in six out of 68 regions of interest. This proof-of-concept study suggests that an ASD endophenotype emerges in the SD and that neural bases for ASD diagnosis can be discerned from the endophenotype when accounting for the difference between TD siblings.

Growing older with autism – The experiences of adult siblings of individuals with autism

BackgroundMost studies of siblings of individuals with autism have involved children or adolescents. In the present study we explored the experiences of adults with a brother or sister with autism. MethodAs part of a larger scale, adult sibling study, 56 individuals (37 females, 19 males; mean age 40 years) were asked about their experiences of growing up with a sibling with autism and about their worries for the future. ResultsMost participants (77%) described positive benefits, often related to the impact on their own life or personality (e.g. making them more tolerant or caring) and to the positive characteristics of their sibling with autism. Only 14% could describe no positive aspects. The principal problems described were related to coping with behavioural difficulties (39%) and disruption to family relationships (32%) or social life (23%). There was no association between the level of negative descriptions and individual sibling characteristics, participants' social functioning or mental health. The main concerns for the future, expressed by the majority of participants, focussed on problems of finding appropriate care (77%) and the potential emotional impact on the autism siblings of loss of parents. ConclusionsMost participants described a mix of positive and negative experiences but current concerns focussed predominantly on future longterm care. Many adult siblings will become increasingly responsible for ensuring the welfare of the individual with autism. Medical and other services need to recognise the importance of this role, and the need actively to involve siblings in care planning and decision-making.

Genetic and environmental sources of familial coaggregation of obsessive\u2212compulsive disorder and suicidal behavior: a population-based birth cohort and family study

Obsessive−compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with high risk of suicide. It is yet unknown whether OCD and suicidal behaviors coaggregate in families and, if so, what are the mechanisms underlying this coaggregation. In a population-based birth cohort and family study, we linked individuals born in Sweden in 1967–2003 (n = 3,594,181) to their parents, siblings, and cousins, and collected register-based diagnoses of OCD, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide and followed them until December 31, 2013. We also applied quantitative genetic modeling to estimate the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the familial coaggregation of OCD and suicidal behavior. An elevated risk of suicide attempts was observed across all relatives of individuals with OCD, increasing proportionally to the degree of genetic relatedness, with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.56 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–1.63) in parents to 1.11 (95% CI 1.07–1.16) in cousins. The risk of death by suicide also increased alongside narrowing genetic distance, but was only significant in parents (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.40–1.72) and full siblings (OR 1.80; 95% CI 1.43–2.26) of individuals with OCD. Familial coaggregation of OCD and suicide attempts was explained by additive genetic factors (60.7%) and non-shared environment (40.4%), with negligible contribution of shared environment. Similarly, familial coaggregation with death by suicide was attributed to additive genetics (65.8%) and nonshared environment (34.2%). Collectively, these observations indicate that OCD and suicidal behaviors coaggregate in families largely due to genetic factors. The contribution of unique environment is also considerable, providing opportunities to target high-risk groups for prevention and treatment.

A Morphometric Assessment of the Influence of EGCG on Down Syndrome Facial Morphology

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic birth defect that results from Trisomy 21, which causes an overexpression of human chromosome 21 (HSA21) genes. Overexpressed HSA21 genes disturb development by altering morphogenesis and growth, resulting in cognitive impairment, characteristic facial morphology, and many other health problems for individuals with DS. The DYRK1A gene is found on chromosome 21 and is thought to play a significant role in cranial and neurological malformations associated with DS. Previous research has shown that EGCG, a compound that inhibits DYRK1A, has been used to improve cognition of individuals with DS as well as improve cranial vault morphology in Ts65Dn DS mouse models. Based on DYRK1A's strong role in brain and craniofacial development, and the fact that EGCG can reduce overexpression of this gene, we hypothesized that children with DS who have been supplemented with EGCG will exhibit improved facial morphology. We assessed children with DS who were supplemented with EGCG (n = 5), untreated children with DS (n = 72), siblings of individuals with DS (n = 49), and euploid controls (n = 40), aged from 0–3 years. Twenty‐one anatomical landmarks were identified on 3dMD facial images and the XYZ coordinates were saved for analysis. A Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis (EDMA) based on a non‐parametric bootstrap was carried out (1,000 resamples) to assess statistically significant shape differences across samples. A total of 210 linear distance measurements were compared from each individual's facial image. The baseline comparison of DS faces with siblings and euploid controls revealed that 50% and 54% of linear distances were significantly different. However, when DS faces were compared to children with DS supplemented with EGCG, we found that only 26% of linear distances reached statistical significance. Overall, the results suggest that EGCG is producing positive changes in the faces of children with Down syndrome, however more research must be done for a more definitive answer.Support or Funding InformationFunding was received from the Burnett Research Scholars Grant, which was provided through the UCF Burnet Honers College. Funding was also received from the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Empirical Examination of Caregiving Processes and Outcomes among Adult Siblings of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Most individuals with disabilities in the US live in family settings; in some families, siblings are default long-term support providers. Although researchers have explored the roles of parent caregivers, the roles of sibling caregivers need attention. In this study, we examined caregiving processes and outcomes among 322 adult sibling support providers (SSPs) with a range of support roles. Adapting a conceptual model of caregiving processes, we used structural equation modeling to assess relationships among perceived social support, demands, appraisal of caregiving, empowerment, and depression. Results indicate significant associations among most variables. Appraisal of caregiving emerged as a partial mediator, suggesting that the meaning that SSPs make of their experiences exerts influence on their sense of empowerment and depressive symptoms.