Journal on Developmental Disabilities
Le journal sur les handicaps du développement

Abstract

The present study examined the effectiveness of a sibling support group for siblings of children with autism. Participants were 26 siblings of children with autism and related disorders between the ages 6 to 16 who completed the group intervention. Questionnaires examining siblings' self-concepts, their knowledge of autism, and their coping/adjustment with a variety of problems were administered before the first group session (pre-test) and again after the last group session (post-test). Results indicated that the siblings' self-concepts and knowledge of autism improved significantly from the beginning to the end of the sibling support group. These findings suggest that the sibling support group was, in part, successful in meeting the stated goals. Clinical implications are discussed and directions for future research are presented.

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