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The Adjustment of Non-Disabled Siblings of Children with Autism

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Abstract

This study compared the psychosocial and emotional adjustment of siblings of children with autism and siblings of non-disabled children. In addition, differences between self and parent reports, as well as various demographic characteristics were examined. Fifty-one siblings of children with autism and 35 siblings of non-disabled children, between the ages of 7 and 17, along with one parent of each sibling, participated. Results indicated that the presence of a child with autism appears to enhance the psychosocial and emotional development of non-disabled siblings when demographic risk factors are limited. However, the presence of a child with autism appears to have an increasingly unfavorable impact on the non-disabled sibling as demographic risk factors increase.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, MLC 4002, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3039, USA

    Ryan J. Macks

  2. Curry Programs in Clinical and School Psychology, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4261, USA

    Ronald E. Reeve

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  1. Ryan J. Macks
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  2. Ronald E. Reeve
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Correspondence to Ryan J. Macks.

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Macks, R.J., Reeve, R.E. The Adjustment of Non-Disabled Siblings of Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 37, 1060–1067 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0249-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0249-0

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