The Well-Being and Potential Service Needs of Siblings of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

As the number of youth with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses rises (Kim et al., 2011), the number of youth growing up with a brother or sister with ASD also multiplies. Research attempting to characterize these youth and identify distinctive patterns of their well-being and adjustment has yielded mixed and sometimes contradictory findings (e.g., Orsmond & Seltzer, 2007). This literature often examines the presence of a child with ASD in the family as a sole predictive factor of sibling outcomes, while ignoring other potentially relevant variables (e.g., Hodapp, Glidden, & Kaiser, 2005). This panel will aim to broaden the lens of sibling outcome research by exploring novel predictive factors, such as sibling relationships and maternal psychological functioning, which may inform sibling outcome pathways across families, rather than identify a singular sibling profile. Findings draw from parent and sibling-report in various contexts (e.g., across the lifespan, pre- and post- intervention groups). Ultimately, this panel will provide a framework for this “new wave” of sibling research that allows for a more multifaceted approach to studying both risk and resilience for siblings, as well as providing effective services for the subset of these youth that may be in need of clinical supports.
Friday, May 13, 2016: 3:30 PM-5:30 PM
Room 308 (Baltimore Convention Center)
Panel Chair:
M. Tudor
Discussant:
D. G. Sukhodolsky
3:55 PM
Enhancing the Sibling Relationship: Outcomes of a Support Group for Brothers and Sisters of Children with Autism
M. Coffman A. Muskett R. S. Factor L. Delk A. Trubanova N. Kelso A. Scarpa J. A. Richey J. M. Wolf