Growing up alongside a sibling with a disability: A phenomenological examination of growth and deficiency in adulthood.
Adult siblings grow kinder and more skilled yet keep quiet fears about love and future care.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Milevsky et al. (2022) talked with adults who have a brother or sister with a developmental disability.
They asked open questions about how the disability shaped their whole life.
The team looked for themes of growth and ongoing worry.
What they found
Siblings said the experience made them kinder, more patient, and better at reading people.
Yet many still feel shame in public, fear dating will be hard, and stress about future care duties.
Growth and anxiety live side-by-side for years.
How this fits with other research
Heald et al. (2020) used a big survey and found higher depression and lower life satisfaction in the same group. The numbers look grim, but they measure symptoms, not stories. The new study explains why: siblings carry hidden worries even while they grow.
Abney et al. (2026) dug into how these adults cope. They map the same worries Avidan found and add that people use self-blame, practical help-seeking, and acceptance. Together the papers show the full cycle: stress, coping, and growth.
Iannuzzi et al. (2022) asked teens and young adults about life with an autistic sibling. The teens already report empathy gains and peer secrecy. Avidan’s adults are those teens a decade later, still growing yet still anxious.
Why it matters
When you meet a family, ask how the typically developing sibling is doing. Offer a short mood check and a chance to talk about future plans. A ten-minute chat can validate both their strengths and their silent fears.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: A growing literature underscores the role played by sibling throughout life particularly for siblings with disabilities. However, limited research focuses on how growing up with a sibling with a disability impacts adult personality and well-being. AIMS: The current study is a qualitative examination of the long-term effects of growing up with a sibling who has a developmental disability, using both a deficiency and growth model perspective. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Participants included 20 adult siblings of individuals with disabilities interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Interviews were conducted via an online platform. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Themes identified were: impact on personal character traits, social development through sibling and overcoming social challenges, impacts on religiosity, influence on career choice, influence on romantic relationships and finding a partner, and future planning and stress. Distinct patterns of growth were noted in areas of personal development, character traits, social development, and interpersonal skills. On the other hand, hardships and anxieties were noted in general with specific negative features relating to social embarrassment and concerns about how the sibling status will impact potential romantic partnerships and future family life. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The current study highlights the long-term impact of growing up with a sibling with a developmental disability with empirical and clinical implications.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104336