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Close Relationships Despite the Challenges : Sibling Relationships and Autism
Trew, Sebastian
Trew, Sebastian
Author
Abstract
This study explores the experiences of siblings of autistic adolescents within families. Without the novel insights generated from engaging with siblings of autistic adolescents within a qualitative framework, it can be challenging to develop strategies for practicing effectively with this group or structuring interventions with these families. Using a social constructivist approach and qualitative participatory methodology, the exploratory study was conducted using in-depth interviews with ten non-autistic siblings, analyzed via a thematic analysis method. The results reveal a common feeling of uncertainty and apprehension in the relationships, leading siblings to physical and emotional detachment from their autistic brothers or sisters. The research emphasizes the caregiving roles predominantly taken up by sisters, especially when the autistic sibling is a brother with intellectual disability. These roles exert substantial demands, with unclear boundaries suggesting potential role confusion. The findings have important implications for family practice, necessitating the need to address role conflict and promote role clarity. They also underscore the gendered nature of caregiving, advocating for support to sister-siblings in these roles. This study revealed the complexities of sibling relationships in families with a member who is an autistic adolescent sibling. The study suggests interventions that promote open family dialogues for a balanced approach to family roles, providing valuable guidance to practitioners to enhance siblings and family well-being.
Keywords
Autism, Siblings, Families, Qualitative, Adolescence, Relationships
Date
2024
Type
Journal article
Journal
Book
Volume
Issue
Page Range
1-13
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open
Notes
© The Author(s) 2024
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attri- bution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
The research leading to these results received funding from the Australian Catholic University Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme (PRSSS). This study could not have been possible without the participation of the young people and the families who generously offered to be involved in this study. This manuscript contains excerpts and material from the authors dissertation that has not been through peer review or published elsewhere but sits in an institutional repository under licence CC BY 4.0
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attri- bution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
The research leading to these results received funding from the Australian Catholic University Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme (PRSSS). This study could not have been possible without the participation of the young people and the families who generously offered to be involved in this study. This manuscript contains excerpts and material from the authors dissertation that has not been through peer review or published elsewhere but sits in an institutional repository under licence CC BY 4.0