ED 309 849 AUTHOR TITLE SPONS AGENCY PUB DATE NOTE PUB TYPE EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS ABSTRACT DOCUMENT RESUME PS 018 165 McHale, Susan M.; And Others Sibling Relationships and Adjustment in Children with Disabled and -Nondisabled Brothers and Sisters. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Washington, D.C. Apr 89 21p.; Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child DeVelopment (Kansas City, MO, April 27-30, 1989). Reports - Research/Technical (143) -- Speeches /Conference Papers (150) MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. *Adjustment (to Environment); Children; *Child Responsibility; Comparative Analysis; *Disabilities; *Family Relationship; Individual Differences; Mental Retardation; Mothers; Parent Influence; *Siblings; *Stress Variables A study was made of relationships between particular family dynamics and the well-being of-children with disabled siblings. Attention focused on the relation to children's adjustment of-three issues emphasized in the literature: (1) children's family responsibilities, including sibling caregiving and household tasks, which may be more demanding for children with-disabled siblings; (2) potential stresses arising from the sibling relationship; and (3) feelings of rivalry that may arise in children due to the preferential treatement disabled siblings appear to receive from parents. A total of 62 youngsters of 8-14 years of age and their Mothers were interviewed. Half of the youths had a younger mentally- retarded sibling; and half had-a younger nondisabled sibling. Findings suggest that children's lives are altered in a number of important ways when they grow up with disabled siblings. Data suggest a picture of resilience rather than of vulnerablity. Although some children may be troubled about extra family responsibilities, sibling conflict, or feelings of jealousy and rivalry, these factors generally did not account for substantial variability in children's adjustment. (RH) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ***********************************************************************
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D.C. - ERICfiles.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED309849.pdfstrategies for coping with such events (Gamble, 1983; Gamble & McHale, in. press). One important finding from this work was that particular
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ED 309 849
AUTHORTITLE
SPONS AGENCY
PUB DATENOTE
PUB TYPE
EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS
ABSTRACT
DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 018 165
McHale, Susan M.; And OthersSibling Relationships and Adjustment in Children withDisabled and -Nondisabled Brothers and Sisters.March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Washington,D.C.
Apr 8921p.; Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of theSociety for Research in Child DeVelopment (KansasCity, MO, April 27-30, 1989).Reports - Research/Technical (143) --Speeches /Conference Papers (150)
A study was made of relationships between particularfamily dynamics and the well-being of-children with disabledsiblings. Attention focused on the relation to children's adjustmentof-three issues emphasized in the literature: (1) children's familyresponsibilities, including sibling caregiving and household tasks,which may be more demanding for children with-disabled siblings; (2)potential stresses arising from the sibling relationship; and (3)feelings of rivalry that may arise in children due to thepreferential treatement disabled siblings appear to receive fromparents. A total of 62 youngsters of 8-14 years of age and theirMothers were interviewed. Half of the youths had a younger mentally-retarded sibling; and half had-a younger nondisabled sibling.Findings suggest that children's lives are altered in a number ofimportant ways when they grow up with disabled siblings. Data suggesta picture of resilience rather than of vulnerablity. Although somechildren may be troubled about extra family responsibilities, siblingconflict, or feelings of jealousy and rivalry, these factorsgenerally did not account for substantial variability in children'sadjustment. (RH)
************************************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made ** from the original document. *
(1) Maternal reports of discipline strategies used in resolving siblingconflict (independent reports for behavior toward. older and younger sib).
(2) Child's rating of satisfaction with how_ parents treat self relative to
sibling.
II. Telephone Interviews
A. ISibling_Activities
Children's reports (using cued-recall procedure) of frequency, duration,and companions in activities with-younger sibling including caregiving,play, meals, television, chores, and outings.
B. Chores
Mothers' independent reports of frequency and duration of each of 20chores performed by older and younger child (e.g., make bed,-do dishes,
rake or mow lawn, pet care). (Differential treatment calculated bysubtracting younger child's chores from older child's chores,)
C, Mother-Child_ Activities
Mother's independent reports of frequencies and durations of activitiesWith older and Younger child-including caregiving, play, television,meals, outings, chores, and conversations. '(Differential treatmentcalculated by subtracting activities with younger child froin activities
with older child.)
15
.
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Table 3
Measures of Psychological Well=Beingi of Boys and
Girls With Disabled and Nondisabled Siblings
.
Children withDisabledSiblings
Children withNondisabledSiblings
Boys Girls Boys Girls(n=17) (n=14) _(n=17) (n=14)
Conduct Problems .48 .51 .63 .41
Depression 5.06 8.71 3.76, 4.21
Anxiety 10.18 13.14 6.06 7.29
Perceived Competence:
General Self-Worth 3.25 2.94 3.24 3.39
Social Acceptance 3.07 2.86 3.34 3.34
Cognitive Competence 3.07 2.69 3.14 3.07
Conduct 2.71 3.04 3.16 3.20
Effects-
(G=Group)(S=Gender)
*G
1Higher scores represent more problem symptoms on the conduct, depression, andanxiety scales; higher perceived competence scores indicate more positiveself-image.
.p < .05
**p.--< .01
-
1.6
-;1
16
Table 4
Mean Dui-ations (in minutes) of Children's Recall of
Sibling Activities and Household Chores in Telephone InterviewS:
Children with
DisabledSiblings
Children withNondisabled
Siblings
Boys
(n=17)Girls0=14)
Boys(n=17)
GirlS(n=14)
EffeCts(G=Group)(S=Sex)
I. SIBLING ACTIVITIES
Total Duration 159.0 167.7 159.7 157.6
Duration. Caregiving 17.95 25.28 8.50 16.10 * *G les
-HOUSEHOLD CHORES
Total Duration 58.9 91.8 44.2 -71.4 *G ***S
Correlation between caregiving and anxiety symptoms: r = .26**
< .10
**.p. < .05
***R < .01
1:7
se,
17
Table 5
Griilup Comparisons of Children's and Mothers'
Evaluations of the Sibling Relationship
Children with Children withDisabled Siblings Nondisabled Siblings Effects
(n = 31) (n = 31) (G = Group)
1. SIBLING INTERACTIONS
Hostility
Child Ratings
Maternal Ratings
Physical Aggression
Child Ratings
Maternal Ratings
It. SATISFACTION RATINGS (by child)2
[low Sibs Get Along
Overall Satisfaction withRelationship
2.3
2.1
1.8
1.2 .
7.2
8.4
2.7 *G
2.7 **G
2.2 **G
1.8 **G
5.8 **G
1Rating -scale ranges from 1 (never-) to 5 (always)_.
2Ratings range from 1 .(very unhappy)- to 9: (very happy).
< .05
**t < .01
18
Table 6
Correlations Between Stress and Coping Measures and Indites of
Children's Adjustment and Sibling Relationships (N = 62)