Siblings of children with autism (ASD-sibs) often exhibit deficits in social reciprocity and cognitive deficits similar to those of their affected siblings. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between degree of autistic symptomatology and degree of cognitive functioning in sibling pairs seen as part of a longitudinal ASD-focused sibling study. Both cognitive functioning and autistic symptomatology were assessed using continuous measures in sibling pairs. Three sets of bivariate correlations were conducted to examine the relationships between autistic symptomatology and cognitive ability. One ANCOVA and 6 ANOVAS were also conducted to identify possible group differences between younger siblings of children with diagnoses of ASDs (ASD-sibs) and younger siblings of children without diagnoses of ASDs (COMP-sibs). When associations were examined in the entire sample, all correlations examined were significant, p <.05. However, when examined by group, no associations between younger and older siblings were significant. Negative correlations were found between ASD symptomatology and cognitive functioning within the younger sibling, and between ASD symptomatology and cognitive functioning within the older sibling. Thus, within the ASD group, level of autistic symptomatology was negatively associated with level of cognitive functioning with individuals. Results indicate that intellectual disability (i.e., impaired cognitive functioning) runs in concert with symptomatology among children with ASDs and among their younger siblings. Additionally, by three years of age, ASD-sibs were receiving lower scores than COMP-siblings in the areas of receptive language, expressive language, and in visual reception. Clinically, the identification of specific limitations in ASD-sibs has important implications for intervention programs which could help to prevent or ameliorate poor outcomes.

Experiencing sibling conflict is a fact of life for most children, and this study investigates which form of sibling conflict is more likely to lead to adjustment difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Questionnaires enquiring about sibling relationships, anxiety and depression were administered to 121 students of Westland High School aged between 13 and 18 years. The correlations and multiple regressions performed indicated that adolescents with a positive sibling relationship have significantly lower levels of depression. In addition, emotional conflict between siblings was found to be a significant predictor of depression, whilst jealousy was found to be a significant predictor of anxiety and social phobia. Implications for intervention regarding disciplining emotional aggression and controlling for jealousy are discussed.

Experiencing sibling conflict is a fact of life for most children, and this study investigates which form of sibling conflict is more likely to lead to adjustment difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Questionnaires enquiring about sibling relationships, anxiety and depression were administered to 121 students of Westland High School aged between 13 and 18 years. The correlations and multiple regressions performed indicated that adolescents with a positive sibling relationship have significantly lower levels of depression. In addition, emotional conflict between siblings was found to be a significant predictor of depression, whilst jealousy was found to be a significant predictor of anxiety and social phobia. Implications for intervention regarding disciplining emotional aggression and controlling for jealousy are discussed.

Notwithstanding relationships with parents and primary caregivers the relationship a person has with a sibling is likely to be his first important autonomous relationship with another person. Siblings have the same parents and families, and they often share homes and life experiences. Relationships with siblings are frequently a person’s longest lasting relationship. However, these relationships are often complex and diverse in nature and there is no cohesive theoretical explanation for the role that these relationships play in a person’s life. Therefore this study explored how a group of preadolescent boys perceive and explain their sibling relationships. The data for this exploratory qualitative study was obtained by interviewing the group of boys, and investigated how these boys make sense of their relationships. Four main themes emerged: the role of hierarchy within their relationships, the impact having a brother or a sister has on their relationships, how the boys understand conflict and competition, and finally how they comprehend closeness and separateness within their sibling relationships. The findings highlight the complexity of these relationships and also provide interesting insight into how the boys make sense of this complexity. Most of the boys said they preferred having siblings even if they reported having difficult relationships with their siblings. On the whole the boys felt that these relationships are very important for them, in spite of them reporting that their siblings are often challenging and problematic. The findings suggest that in this small sample, sibling relationships are central for boys in their negotiation of social interactions with people who are not their parents and/or adults.

Thesis (M.A. in anthropology)--Washington State University, May 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 8, 2009). "Department of Anthropology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-45).

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

The current body of research pertaining to sibling control dynamics look specifically at either the absence or presence of control within the sibling relationship. Research to date has not differentiated between a sibling's experience of being controlling versus being controlled. This study examined adolescent sibling control dynamics and its link with sibling relationship quality (sibling closeness and sibling conflict), and how those links are moderated by birth order and having an agreeable personality. Data were analyzed from 327 families with two adolescent siblings between the ages of 12 and 18 (Older Sibling M = 17.17 years, SD = .94; Younger Sibling M = 14.52 years, SD =1.27). Results from nested multi-level models revealed that adolescent siblings who are controlling, perceive their sibling relationship to be close. Future research pertaining to the importance of differentiating between the experience of being controlling versus controlled is discussed.

The effects that each sibling's relative cognitive and physical abilities may have on the quality of sibling interaction are not clearly understood in either nonhandicapped or handicapped sibling dyads. A measure of sibling authority based on behavioral observations of sibling interaction was developed that represents how sibling abilities are translated into sibling power within handicapped and nonhandicapped sibling dyads. This measure of sibling authority was related to the occurrence of prosocial and aggressive behaviors in sibling dyads with and without a child with handicaps. Ninety-three sibling dyads participated. Included were 34 nonhandicapped sibling dyads, 12 sibling dyads in which the older sibling had a handicapping condition, and 47 sibling dyads in which the younger sibling had a handicapping condition. The handicapping conditions were Down Syndrome, mental retardation, or severe hearing impairment. Results indicate that although the older sibling had greater authority overall, younger siblings had greater authority in over half of all sibling dyads. Sibling authority was not found to be dependent specifically on the presence of the handicapping conditions represented in this study nor upon the gender composition of the sibling dyads. Small differences in authority scores between siblings were associated with a greater frequency of prosocial behavior in both siblings. However, there were no significant differences between groups or siblings on the occurrence of either prosocial or aggressive behaviors. Both siblings contributed equally to the positive or negative nature of their interaction regardless of handicapping condition.

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As adolescents transition into young adults, many changes take place within family relationships as young adults move away from home. Young adults may be living away from parents and siblings for the first time and will establish communication patterns that can affect the rest of their life (citation). Relationships largely rely on communication in which young adults and their siblings with autism may experience changes in communication patterns as they move away from home. This study examined six young adults who all have a sibling with autism with whom they are no longer living. An examination of how close these young adults felt to their sibling with autism was performed along with an examination of the amount of days contact was held with the sibling with autism. The use of digital reminders was used to increase communication in the sibling relationship The study found that when participants were able to successfully increase their communication with their sibling with autism, perceptions of how close participants felt to that sibling increased.