A difference in a family : an insight to the experience of having an autistic sibling

Abstract

This dissertation attempts to examine the experiences of typical siblings living with a brother or sister with Autism and how this disability, in particular, impacts psychological, social and behavioural factors in their lives. A phenomenological research study was used in order to gather the data, consisting of five in-depth interviews with typical developing siblings, between the ages of 18-26. The aim of the study was to get a subjective in-depth view on the experiences the siblings acquired. After analysing the data and reviewing the literature, it was found that siblings of persons with Autism portray negative as well as positive outcomes regarding the experiences of living with an Autistic person. Moreover, it was evident that each positive and negative factor did portray further effects on the sibling's psychological, social and behavioural adjustment. Thus, showing how having an Autistic family member does have various impacts on the experiences of a sibling's life.