Sibling Adjustment and Maternal Well-Being: An Examination of Families With and Without a Child With an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Moms of preschoolers with autism feel more stress and depression, and sibling behavior problems make it worse—so screen the whole family.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Williams et al. (2010) compared two groups of moms. One group had a preschooler with autism. The other group had only typically developing kids.
They asked each mom about her stress, mood, and how her other child was doing. They wanted to see if having a brother or sister with autism changed things.
What they found
Moms of kids with autism said they felt more stress and more sadness. Their other children looked about the same as typical siblings on paper.
Yet when a sibling did act out, mom’s mood dipped even lower. The child’s behavior and mom’s feelings were tightly linked.
How this fits with other research
Ingersoll et al. (2011) later showed that moms who carry mild autism traits themselves feel the most depressed. This helps explain why some moms in the 2010 study were hit harder than others.
Perez et al. (2015) looked at older siblings and found a twist: mild autism traits in the brother or sister can actually protect them from family stress. This seems opposite to the 2010 finding, but age is the key. Preschool siblings depend more on mom, so mom’s mood still rules the home.
Koegel et al. (2014) tracked stress from preschool to high school and found it stayed flat. This extends the 2010 picture: the stress moms feel does not fade as the child grows; it sticks around.
Why it matters
When you assess a new preschool client, ask about mom and the siblings. A quick mood check and a few questions about sibling behavior can flag families who need extra help. Offer a parent support group or a sibling support night. Small moves early can lower stress for everyone in the house.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Differences in sibling social, behavioral, and academic adjustment and maternal well-being in families with (n = 20) and without (n = 23) a preschooler with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were explored. Results are interpreted to suggest that mothers of children with autism report more daily hassles, life stress, and depression than mothers without a child with ASD. There were no significant differences in parent and teacher reports of older siblings' social, behavioral, and academic adjustment in families with and without a child with ASD. Sibling behavioral adjustment was, however, significantly related to maternal well-being. Because families with children with ASD often experience more parenting stress and depression, siblings may be more vulnerable to the cumulative risks over time.
Focus on autism and other developmental disabilities, 2010 · doi:10.1177/1088357609350367