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Children with Handicapped Brothers and Sisters

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The Effects of Autism on the Family

Part of the book series: Current Issues in Autism ((CIAM))

Abstract

Helping children get along with their brothers and sisters has always been a major concern for parents. The importance that mothers and fathers place on sibling relationships is evident in the literature that instructs parents on how to understand and to change their children’s behavior toward and feelings for one another. Writings on sibling relationships, for instance, offer descriptions about how parents can prepare older children for the arrival of a new brother or sister and about how they can cope with the jealousy and rivalry that will (inevitably, it seems) appear at some point in their children’s lives (e.g., Calladine and Calladine, 1979; Ginott, 1965; Levy, 1934, 1937; Sewall, 1930; Spock, 1973). Parents seem to be particularly concerned about finding ways of minimizing physical aggression and arguments (overt conflicts) between their children and about providing their children with fair and equal treatment so as to reduce the possibility of jealousy and anger (internal conflict) between brothers and sisters. When one child in the family is handicapped, parents may experience these as well as other worries about their children’s relationships with one another.

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Reference Notes

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA

    Susan M. McHale

  2. Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, USA

    Rune J. Simeonsson

  3. Southeastern TEACCH Center, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401, USA

    Jerry L. Sloan

Authors
  1. Susan M. McHale
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  2. Rune J. Simeonsson
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  3. Jerry L. Sloan
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division TEACCH, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 310 Medical School Wing E, 222H, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, USA

    Eric Schopler  & Gary B. Mesibov  & 

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© 1984 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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McHale, S.M., Simeonsson, R.J., Sloan, J.L. (1984). Children with Handicapped Brothers and Sisters. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B. (eds) The Effects of Autism on the Family. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2293-9_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2293-9_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2295-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2293-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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