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Self-Concept and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescent Siblings of Individuals with ASD
Objectives: The present study looked at the self-concept and psychosocial adjustment of 15 adolescent siblings of individuals with autism (ASD group) and compared this to the self-concept of 18 adolescents with a neurotypical sibling (Control group).
Methods: Study participants wereasked to fill out questionnaires related to their overall well-being, including measures of depression symptoms, social support, negative life events, and the sibling relationship.
Results: Results suggested that siblings in the ASD group fared as well as siblings in the Control group. They did not significantly differ on depression scores, social support, negative life events, or general self-complexity. There was some differentiation in sibling self-concept, with the ASD group showing more distinct sibling roles. Further, the findings of the present study supported the hypothesis that high negative self-complexity is positively related to depression scores. Lastly, it was found that distinctness among roles had a positive relationship with depression in the clinical group.
Conclusions: This study yielded important information about siblings of individuals with autism, and adolescent self-concept more generally. This supprts the line of research that suggests typical psychosocial adjustment and self-concept in siblings of individuals with ASD. Further, this provides support for the relationship between a highly negative self-concept and negative outcomes.
See more of: Intellectual and Behavioral Assessment and Measurement