The purpose of this project was to create a research‑based sibling support group for 7 to 12 year‑old children who have a sibling with autism. Typically‑developing children (N = 3) and their parents attended a four‑week, once‑weekly sibling support group. The program focused on topics found to be the key issues of typically‑developing siblings who have a sibling with autism: discovering that others share similar family circumstances, learning about their sibling with autism’s special needs, discussing issues and problems children with siblings who have ASD typically face (and developing effective coping strategies to deal with these issues), and having an opportunity to express who they are as individuals. Pre‑and post‑ assessments showed that the group only slightly increased their knowledge about autism. Feedback from the children suggested that they especially enjoyed the opportunity to speak openly about their sibling with autism and having the opportunity to share activities and items that were important to them. The children reported that they did not enjoy having to complete worksheets related to information about autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, they did not understand the information that was presented about the programs and interventions that some children with ASD may use. Overall, the sibling support group provided an opportunity for children with a sibling with autism to share feelings and experiences about their sibling, including problems they face.

Sibling relationships transcend all other relationships. Described by scholars as “cradle to grave,” no other relationship is as long-lasting as the sibling relationship. Although one of the longest relationships any one person will be a part of in their lives, siblings communicative research is widely understudied. Specifically, supportive communication and the role birth order plays in sibling communication are important to examine. This study sought to explore topics of sibling support, the role birth order played in providing (or not providing) support, and the differentiation between sibling and parental supportive communication. Through qualitative methods of investigation, open-ended questions were answered by five same-gender sibling dyads (10 participants). The responses of these participants developed into four separate themes to explain the sibling communicative relationship. There is no topic too broad or taboo that siblings expressed they couldn’t talk to their other sibling about, and parental advice was described as outdated when siblings explained why they sought advice from their sibling over their parent. Similarly, firstborn children expressed an innate obligation to be supportive of their younger siblings, even without being told this message from their parents. The findings of this qualitative study are presented such that they can be used to further justify the importance of studying the unique communication between siblings.