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.
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
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