Research Article: Support Needs of Siblings of People with Developmental Disabilities

Catherine K. Arnold, Tamar Heller, John Kramer (2012) Support Needs of Siblings of People with Developmental Disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: October 2012, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 373-382.

ABSTRACT:

This qualitative study examines the support needs of adult siblings of people with developmental disabilities. A survey completed by 139 siblings of people with developmental disabilities captured the needs of adult siblings through 2 open-ended questions. A grounded theory approach was used, and the sibling responses anchored the analysis, interpretation of findings, and discussion using the constant comparison method. Eleven core variables and 3 overarching themes emerged. Three overarching themes for sibling support needs include: (a) getting disability-related information, (b) getting support for their caregiving role, and (c) enhancing the formal support system to address sibling needs.

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