Sibling Relationships and Family Functioning in Siblings of Early Adolescents, Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

摘要

The purpose of the study was to investigate howudfamily functioning (defined as the ability that familyudmembers hold to manage stressful events, and intimate andudsocial relationships), the degree to which family membersudfeel happy and fulfilled with each other (called familyudsatisfaction), and the demographical characteristics of siblingsud(age and gender) impacted on sibling relationships.udThe Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems andudBehavioral Systems constituted the theoretical frameworksudthat guided our study. Eighty-six typically developingudadolescents and young adults having a sister or a brotherudwith autism spectrum disorder were enrolled. Results indicatedudthat the youngest age group (early adolescents)udreported to engage more frequently in negative behaviorsudwith their siblings with ASD than the two older age groupsud(middle adolescents and young adults). No significant differencesudwere found among the three age groups regardingudbehaviors derived from attachment, caregiving and affiliativeudsystems. Family satisfaction and age significantly predictedudbehaviors during sibling interactions. Suggestions onudprevention and intervention programs were discussed inudorder to prevent parentification among typically developingudsiblings and decrease episodes of quarrels and overt conflictsudbetween brothers and sisters with and without ASD.