Predictors of future caregiving by adult siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Target the sisters who live nearby and already feel close—they are the ones who will soon be in charge.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Griffith et al. (2012) sent surveys to adult brothers and sisters of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
They asked who expected to take over daily care in the future.
Then they looked for patterns in gender, distance, and how close the siblings felt.
What they found
Three things stood out. Sisters were far more likely than brothers to say they would step in.
Siblings who lived near their brother or sister also saw themselves as future carers.
The warmer the bond, the stronger the yes to caregiving.
How this fits with other research
Shivers (2019) surveyed the same family group and added a twist: over half of these brothers and sisters feel heavy guilt. Poor relationship quality fed the guilt, not the other way around.
McConkey (2005) looked at parents instead of siblings and found services ignored carer traits. Griffith et al. (2012) shows sibling carers have traits too—being female, nearby, and close—so planners can spot them early.
Huang et al. (2014) link carer depression to sleep problems in the adult with ID. Together the papers flag a chain: expectant siblings → later carers → higher depression risk if sleep issues arise.
Why it matters
You can map which siblings will probably take the helm before Mum or Dad step back. Offer those sisters early training, respite lists, and guilt screens. Starting support while parents still lead keeps the future hand-off smoother and may prevent crisis calls later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
With the growing life expectancy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, siblings will increasingly assume responsibility for the care of their brother or sister with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Using a 163-item survey completed by 757 siblings, the authors identified factors related to future caregiving expectations. Siblings expected to assume greater caregiving responsibility for their brother or sister with disabilities if they were female, had closer relationships with and lived closer to their brother or sister with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and were the lone sibling without a disability. Siblings who expected to assume higher levels of caregiving had parents who were currently more able to care for their brother or sister with disabilities. With a better understanding of who intends to fulfill future caregiving roles, support can be provided to these siblings.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2012 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-117.1.33