Browse Theses

Previous research has yielded inconsistent results regarding the psychosocial functioning of siblings of children with autism, with some studies showing higher levels of behavioral/psychological problems and others indicating positive adjustment. The current study looks at emotion regulation (ER), self-concept, and quality of life of siblings of children with autism. These three constructs have not been examined together in this population, and ER, in particular, has been understudied in siblings of children with disabilities. The current study used a sample of 30 siblings of children with autism and their parents recruited from private schools specializing in education for autism and related disorders. It included parent ratings of the child sibling's quality of life and emotion regulation skills, as well as the child sibling's self-reported emotion regulation skills and self-concept. Results indicated a significant relationship between the siblings' emotional quality of life, as perceived by parents, and siblings' overall self-concept. Significant relationships were also found between parent-ratings of child siblings' emotion regulation skills and sibling self-rated emotion regulation skills. Thirdly, sibling self-reported emotion regulation, as well as parental ratings of emotion regulation, was significantly correlated with self-concept ratings. Lastly, an independent samples t-test found that the mean self-concept of siblings in the current sample was significantly higher than that of the Piers-Harris 2 norm group. Overall, the results from the current study demonstrate a strong relationship between self-concept and quality of life as well as self-concept and emotion regulation. Future research is needed to investigate if emotion regulation interacts with self-concept to influence quality of life.