Dear Potential Colleague,
I am writing to you today to make you aware of two recent studies that pertain to
our mutual research interest: Neurotypical children and their siblings with Autism
Spectrum Disorder. The first article I reviewed explored neurotypical sibling (NTS)
and parent reports of lived experiences with siblings with Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) and identified learning, stressors, and concerns from those
experiences (Iannuzzi et al., 2021). The researchers in this study pursued to
explore the experiences of NTS from two perspectives: the neurotypical siblings
themselves and their parents. More specifically, the researchers sought to
increase their understanding of the lived experiences of NTS, and attention was
given to the experiences that NTS found in some challenges, yet opportunities for
growth and learning (Iannuzzi et al., 2021). A data analysis was conducted with
20 NTS of individuals with ASD (13 to 24 years of age) and 21 parents of
individuals with ASD. Separate semi-structured interview guides were developed
for NTS and parent participants (Iannuzzi et al., 2021). During interviews, NTS was
instructed to report on their own experience, and the parents reported on the
experience of their NTS to collect data. There were five themes that emerged in
the analysis of the qualitative data: (1) learning, empathy, and compassion; (2) the
relationship between the degree of functional impairment associated with ASD
and the nature of the sibling relationship; (3) reluctance to share information
about a sibling with ASD with peers; (4) hypervigilance associated with
unpredictable behavior; and (5) worries and concerns about the future (Iannuzzi et
al., 2021). The findings of this study illustrate the impact that an ASD diagnosis
can have on NTS. The data supports the need for clinicians who serve individuals
with ASD to pay attention to the concerns of siblings as they are often integrally
involved in the care and support of the individual with ASD (Iannuzzi et al., 2021).
Another study from Erdem (2021) was conducted as a correlational survey model
that evaluates the social, school and activities competencies of school-age NTS
who have siblings with ASD by using a comparison group. Instead of looking for a
cause-effect relationship among the data obtained, the survey model aims to
interpret the existing situation. The participants in this study include a study
group, a comparison group, and 146 children. The study group consisted of 66
NTS aged 8-16 with a sibling diagnosed with ASD, while the comparison group
consisted of 80 children who were neurotypical both themselves and their siblings
and were at the same age range as the study group (Erdem, 2021). The main
purpose of this study is to examine the competence levels of NTS that have a
sibling with ASD. There are three objectives that are outlined: (1) to evaluate
competencies of NTS and ASD siblings as normal, borderline, and clinical level, (2)
to compare all sub-competence areas and total competence levels of the study
group and the comparison group in order to determine how ASD makes a
difference in the competence levels of siblings, and (3) to reveal how competence
levels of NTS and ASD siblings vary according to the variables of birth order,
gender, and a number of children in the family (Erdem, 2021). The results of the
study did find that the NTS and ASD siblings had clinical competence in the sub-
field of activities and total competence, showed normal competence in school
and social sub-areas, and did not differ according to demographic variables
(Erdem, 2021). The study’s findings have shown that the effect of ASD on siblings
can be in a vast range.
Thank you for your attention to this area of interest. I look forward to receiving
your input on the found research articles.
Sincerely,
References
Iannuzzi, D., Fell, L., Luberto, C., Goshe, B. M., Perez, G., Park, E., Crute, S.,
Kuhlthau, K., & Traeger, L. (2021). Challenges and growth: Lived experience of
adolescents and Young Adults (Aya) with a sibling with ASD. Journal of Autism
and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05135-0
ŞENGÜL ERDEM, H. (2021). Competence of neurotypical siblings of children with
autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Psychology and Educational
Studies, 8(2), 76–87. https://doi.org/10.52380/ijpes.2021.8.2.364
