SLIIT Conference and Symposium Proceedings

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Recollecti ng Adolescent Experiences of Individuals Having a Sibling with Down’s Syndrome: A Qualitati ve Study
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Ranwala, W; Fernando, T
Adolescence is a crucial life stage marked by an individual’s transiti on into adulthood. Contrary to those with typically developing siblings, individuals who have a sibling with Down Syndrome (DS) follow a unique trajectory of life experiences associated with their sibling’s conditi on. Yet, this is an area unexplored in Sri Lankan scholarly research. The present study att empts to address this research gap by exploring adolescent experiences of having a sibling with DS; as recalled by adults. The study was conducted qualitati vely, uti lising semi-structured interviews. Data collected was analysed using themati c analysis. The sample consisted of six parti cipants who were adults, had a sibling with Down Syndrome, and were fl uent in English and/or Sinhala. Three main themes emerged addressing adolescent experiences att ributed to the DS sibling, in terms of; the nature of the sibling relati onship, family dynamics, challenges and coping with social support. Respecti ve subthemes highlight several details. Parents and siblings gradually adapted to the individual with DS, resulti ng in close familial relati onships. Parti cipants also illustrated how the sibling relati onship shaped them as individuals. Parental diff erenti al treatment and future caregiving responsibiliti es were expressed as challenging, along with societal discriminati on and sti gmati zati on. However, social support through extended family and peers helped cope with such challenges. Conclusively, adolescent experiences of having a sibling with DS consti tute both favourable and challenging aspects, infl uenced by many individual-specifi c and environmental elements.
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Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavioural and Emotional adjustment and the Influence of Family Factors on Adjustment
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2022-09-15) Fernando, M.J.T
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have unique characteristics, which are expected to have an impact on members of the family. However, research concerning the effects of ASD on family members has focused predominantly on ASD’s impact on parents and less on its impact on siblings, especially in the context of Sri Lanka. This research attempts to address this gap and advance the understanding of the Behavioral and Emotional (B&E) adjustment of siblings of children with ASD. The study utilized a quantitative research design using a sample of 80 mothers of children with ASD, selected using convenient sampling from hospitals and institutions located in the Colombo and Gampaha districts. Mothers completed a Demographic Questionnaire, Socio-Economic Status Questionnaire, Parental Stress Scale, and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. The study found that B&E adjustment of the majority of the siblings was within the ‘Normal’ range (54%), which shows that siblings were well adjusted behaviorally and emotionally. However, closer to half of the siblings (46%) either had a risk (i.e., scored within the ‘Borderline’ range) or were experiencing adjustment difficulties (i.e., scored within the ‘Abnormal’ range). When siblings were analyzed according to the domains of the SDQ, the majority scored within the ‘Borderline’ range for peer problems, which indicates that siblings are at risk for peer problems. Additionally, the study found that out of all the selected family factors, Maternal Stress due to rearing a child with ASD and ASD severity was positively associated with sibling B&E adjustment difficulties.

SLIIT Conference and Symposium Proceedings

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