Psychological Predictors of Adjustment by Siblings of Developmentally Disabled Children

Psychological predictors of self-concept, behavior problems, and social competence of siblings of developmentally disabled children were identified and compared with those in matched siblings of nondisabled children. Subjects were 110 children (ages 8 to 15 years), 55 with a developmentally disabled younger sibling and 55 with a nondisabled sibling of the same age range as the disabled child (under 7 years). The subjects completed the child psychological measures that were analyzed in the context of family measures completed by the parents. Results show that distinct psychological predictors exist for children with developmentally disabled siblings, with parental stress and some dimensions of the family social environment being most significant.