My Parents told us that they will always Treat my Brother Differently Because he is Autistic – Are Siblings of Autistic Children the Forgotten Ones?
April 16, 2018
Does having an autistic child in the family have an impact on the relationship between their siblings and their parents?
World Autism Day has been held annually since 2 April 2008. Organisations supporting those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) around the world celebrate this day by hosting unique fundraising activities. However, autism not only impacts those who have it, but also shapes their family dynamics.
In this study, My Parents told us that they will always Treat my Brother Differently Because he is Autistic – Are Siblings of Autistic Children the Forgotten Ones? (Journal of Social Work Practice, 2014), A/P Esther Goh (Department of Social Work) and her student, Gina Chan use a qualitative approach to observe the impact of an autistic child on the relationship between their parents and siblings (referred to as neuro-typical children). They also examine how the neuro-typical children cope with the impact of an autistic sibling on the family. The findings are based on interviews with five Singaporean families. The mother and the neuro-typical sibling were interviewed separately as Chan and Goh identified that both mother and sibling influence the relationship with each other equally. The study revealed how parenting style was shaped to accommodate the special needs of the autistic child in the family. Three important themes emerged in the findings: the first being a double-standard parenting, i.e. differential parenting between autistic children and their siblings; second, the responses and strategies adopted by neuro-typical children to cope with this kind of parenting; and third, the mother’s relationship with the neuro-typical child and how parents split roles and try to spend one-on-one time with the neuro-typical child.
The research demonstrates that having an autistic child in the family not only imposes additional responsibilities on the parents but also on their siblings. Moreover, it places certain pressures on the neuro-typical child to cope with double-standard parenting.
Learn more about the study here.