- Compound Risks
- Increase Costs
May impact the immediate family and society at large.

Cedarville University

Siblings of Individuals with Disabilities

Saxena, M., & Adamsons, K. (2013). Siblings of Individuals with Disabilities: Reframing the literature through a bioecological lens. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 5(4), 300–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12021

Siblings of Individuals With Disabilities: Reframing the Literature Through a Bioecological Lens


- Children with DD are more likely to come from a single parent household
   - May be due to the large amount of stress placed on the marriage
- At least one parent is unemployed or working reduced hours
   - Typically the mother
- Lower household income
- High Medical Bills
- Parents' health may be adversely effected due to stress

Children with Developmental Disabilities and Single Parent Households

Risks of Not Providing Resources to Siblings of Individuals with Disabilities

Previous research reports that siblings of individuals with DD have the same or better quality relationship than those of typical sibling pairs. There is a conflicting report that suggests that living with a sibling with a DD has a negative impact on development. Examples include low self-concept, depression, guilt, regret, and behavior problems.

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