Adolescent Siblings of Individuals With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Self-Reported Empathy and Feelings About Their Brothers and Sisters.
Ask adolescent siblings directly—those with IDD brothers/sisters report more anxiety and their feelings hinge on parent and child factors.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked teenagers about their brothers and sisters. Some teens had a sibling with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Others had only neurotypical siblings.
Each teen filled out a short survey about empathy and how they felt toward their sibling. The study wanted to see if disability status changed sibling feelings.
What they found
Teens with IDD siblings said they felt more anxious about their brother or sister. Their feelings were tied to parent stress and child behavior.
In families without IDD, teen feelings did not hinge on those same factors. The link only showed up when a disability was present.
How this fits with other research
Yaldız et al. (2021) asked a similar question and saw no gap in negative emotions between the two groups. The key difference: Halime looked at broad negative mood, while M et al. asked about anxiety tied to the sibling.
Lee et al. (2021) reviewed eight studies and found culture shapes sibling stress, school roles, and caregiving. Their work widens the lens: teen feelings are not just about disability, but also about family values and background.
Together the papers say: ask directly, dig into context, and do not assume one size fits all.
Why it matters
You can add a quick sibling check to your intake. Ask the teen, "How do you feel when your brother needs help?" Note parent stress and child behavior too. If anxiety pops up, target coping skills for the sibling and support for the parents. Culture counts, so tailor your questions and supports to fit each family’s story.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Siblings of brothers or sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are important but understudied family members. As many previous studies have relied on parent report of sibling outcomes, the use of sibling self-report is an important addition to the research. This study assessed the feelings of adolescent siblings toward their brothers or sisters with and without IDD, as well as broader aspects of sibling empathy. Data were collected via a national, online survey from 97 parent-sibling pairs. Siblings of individuals with IDD reported higher levels of anxiety toward the target child than did siblings of typically developing individuals. Sibling feelings toward the target child were related to both parental and target child factors, but only among families of individuals with IDD.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-122.1.62