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Rum Y, Golan O, Allison C, Smith P, White SR, Baron-Cohen S. Does Having a Sibling Affect Autistic People's Empathy? J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06153-w. [PMID: 37934396 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06153-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examined whether autistic people with siblings score higher on measures of empathy than those without siblings. Cohorts of autistic children (n = 939; mean age = 7.35 years (SD = 2.15)) and autistic adults (n = 736; mean age = 37 years (SD = 12.39)) from the Cambridge Autism Research Database (CARD) were each divided into two groups: with or without siblings. Empathy was measured using the children version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) (parent-report) for children. For adults, the EQ (self-report version) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) were used. Contrary to the hypothesis, autistic children without siblings scored higher on EQ than those with siblings (t(283.70) = 4.20, p < .001; d = 0.50). In adults, there was no difference between autistic adults with and without siblings on both measures, but there was an interaction effect between sex and group on the RMET (f(1732) = 4.10, p = 0.04): whilst autistic males without siblings on average scored lower than females, autistic males with siblings on average performed similarly to females. Future research should investigate the possible effect of siblings on autistic males' empathy performance in a larger cohort of autistic individuals. Children's empathic abilities may be underestimated by their parents when they have siblings due to a contrast effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonat Rum
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- School of Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Ofer Golan
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Carrie Allison
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paula Smith
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon R White
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Cuskelly M, Gilmore L, Rayner C, Girkin F, Mulvihill A, Slaughter V. The impacts of typically developing siblings on the developmental outcomes of children with disability: A scoping review. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 140:104574. [PMID: 37531815 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Siblings represent an important influence on children's development. It is possible that sibling influence on developmental outcomes differs in sibling pairs when one of the children has a disability. Previous research has tended to focus on outcomes for typically developing siblings when they have a brother/sister with a disability. AIMS The purpose of this scoping review was to explore empirical studies reporting on the impact of siblings on the developmental outcomes of children with disability to better understand the areas that are influenced by siblings and the factors that contribute to this influence. METHOD To identify relevant studies, the electronic databases of EBSCO, ERIC, Informit, Ovid, ProQuest and Scopus were searched. These searches were supplemented by direction from the authors on relevant literature and citation searches of papers identified for inclusion. Descriptive details were extracted, followed by details related to research design and findings of the studies. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Twenty-two papers were determined to meet inclusion criteria. Investigations of sibling influence have concentrated on children with ASD; other groups are not well represented. There is some evidence that having older siblings may be protective for children with ASD; however, this was not an invariable finding. There is too little consistency across studies to determine whether and how siblings influence development of children with disability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Further work is required to understand the potentially crucial influence that siblings may have on developmental outcomes of children with disability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Gilmore
- School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | | | - Fiona Girkin
- School of Education, University of Tasmania, Australia
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Rosen NE, Schiltz HK, Lord C. Sibling Influences on Trajectories of Maladaptive Behaviors in Autism. J Clin Med 2022; 11:5349. [PMID: 36142996 PMCID: PMC9502075 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11185349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Siblings play an important role in the behavioral trajectories of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While having siblings has been associated with positive outcomes in ASD, including stronger adaptive functioning, social and non-verbal communication, and theory of mind, little is known about the impact of siblings on more negative outcomes, such as maladaptive behaviors. To address this gap, the present longitudinal study tested sibling predictors of trajectories of maladaptive behaviors (e.g., teacher- and parent-reported hyperactivity, irritability, and social withdrawal) from childhood through early adulthood among individuals with ASD and non-spectrum delays. Multilevel models revealed that, while the mere presence of a sibling did not impact maladaptive behavior trajectories apart from teacher-reported hyperactivity, the diagnostic profile of the sibling (e.g., emotional/behavioral disorder, ASD, medical condition) emerged as an important predictor. Specifically, although findings varied across teacher and parent reports, more hyperactivity and irritability across time was identified when the sibling had diagnoses of an emotional/behavioral disorder, ASD, and/or a medical condition. Overall, this study provides novel insight into the broader family-level factors that influence the presentation of maladaptive behaviors across time and across contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E. Rosen
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Rosen NE, McCauley JB, Lord C. Influence of siblings on adaptive behavior trajectories in autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 26:135-145. [PMID: 34120483 PMCID: PMC8665947 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211024096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Siblings have the potential to shape the developmental trajectories of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Having siblings has been associated with better social communication skills, less severe non-verbal communication deficits, and improved theory of mind abilities in autism spectrum disorder. This study examined the influence of the presence of a sibling, participant's position in the birth order, gender of the closest-age sibling, and gender match of the sibling dyad on the rate of growth in adaptive skills from ages 9 to 26 years among individuals with autism spectrum disorder and individuals with a history of non-spectrum developmental disorders. While all participants showed consistent gains in adaptive skill development as a function of age, there was variability in rates of growth based on sibling constellation group membership. Participants with at least one sibling, regardless of other sibling constellation factors, experienced greater rates of growth in adaptive behavior trajectories from childhood to adulthood than participants with no siblings across both Black and White participants, although differences were magnified in Black participants. Furthermore, among participants with siblings, those with male closest-age siblings and those with gender-matched siblings, irrespective of birth order position, demonstrated the steepest growth patterns in adaptive functioning within their respective groups over the 17-year period. Results suggest that siblings may serve an important role in improving the adaptive functioning trajectories and overall outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
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Rum Y, Zachor DA, Dromi E. Prosocial behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during interactions with their typically developing siblings. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/0165025420971042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This observational study focuses on prosocial behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during an interaction with their older, typically developing sibling (TD-Sibs). Twenty-eight sibling dyads, in which the younger sibling was diagnosed with ASD (ASD-Sibs), were video-recorded at home playing a game of their choice. Video recordings were microanalyzed, measuring frame-by-frame observational indices of prosocial behaviors. Siblings’ interactions were mostly collaborative. During the interaction, the older TD-Sibs initiated more actions and the younger ASD-Sibs imitated more. The frequency of the prosocial behaviors of the ASD-Sib was associated with the frequency of the TD-Sib’s prosocial behaviors. The findings emphasize the importance of sibling interactions as an opportunity for children with ASD to practice prosocial behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonat Rum
- Constantiner School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Ditza A. Zachor
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- The Autism Center, Department of Pediatrics, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Israel
| | - Esther Dromi
- Constantiner School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Ben-Itzchak E, Nachshon N, Zachor DA. Having Siblings is Associated with Better Social Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 47:921-931. [PMID: 30280363 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-018-0473-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sibling relationships play a unique developmental role, especially in emotional and social domains. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), social-communication skills are often impaired in comparison to typical development. Therefore, studying siblings' effects on social skills of the child with ASD is important. This retrospective study examined how autism severity and functioning were affected by having older and younger sibling/s, the sex of the index child and of the sibling, and the number of siblings. The study population included 150 participants with ASD (mean age = 4:0 ± 1:6), divided into three equal groups (no sibling, older and younger siblings), matched for cognitive level. The evaluation included neurological and standardized behavioral, cognitive, and functional assessments. Children with ASD with older siblings showed less severe social interaction deficits and better social adaptive skills than only children. No significant differences in autism severity and adaptive functioning were noted between the group with younger siblings and the other groups. The more older siblings the affected child had, the better their social functioning. The sex of the participants with ASD and that of the sibling were not associated with social functioning. Social interaction deficits, the presence of older or younger siblings for children with ASD, and higher cognitive ability contributed significantly to the explained variance (48.9%) in social adaptive skills. These findings emphasize that older siblings positively influence the social skills of their younger sibling with ASD. The effect of typically developing younger siblings was modest and seen only in children with ASD and better cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Ben-Itzchak
- Bruckner Center for Research in Ausim, Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, 40700, Ariel, Israel. .,The Autism Center, Department of Pediatrics, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.
| | - Noa Nachshon
- Bruckner Center for Research in Ausim, Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, 40700, Ariel, Israel
| | - Ditza A Zachor
- The Autism Center, Department of Pediatrics, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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A Model of Family and Child Functioning in Siblings of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 48:1210-1227. [PMID: 29067588 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3352-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The potential clinical needs of typically developing (TD) siblings of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain disputed. A total of 239 mothers of youth aged 6-17, including one youth with ASD (M = 11.14 years; simplex families) and at least one other youth (M = 11.74 years) completed online standardized measures of various familial factors and TD youth outcomes. Overall, only 6-23% of siblings were identified within the clinical range of emotional, behavioral, or social functioning. Both maternal depression and sibling relationship were identified as key pathways in predicting siblings' functioning within a good-fitting path analysis model. The current model is presented as a novel base for the development of future research and services for this unique population of children.
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Montes G. Having Older Siblings Is Associated with Lower Rates of Depression, ADD/ADHD, Anxiety and Behavior Problems Among Children with ASD. Matern Child Health J 2018; 22:642-647. [DOI: 10.1007/s10995-018-2459-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Matthews NL, Goldberg WA. Theory of mind in children with and without autism spectrum disorder: Associations with the sibling constellation. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2016; 22:311-321. [PMID: 29671641 DOI: 10.1177/1362361316674438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The two prior studies that have examined associations between the sibling constellation and theory of mind in autism spectrum disorder yielded discrepant findings. Thus, efforts to better understand the sibling-theory of mind link in autism spectrum disorder are necessary. This study examined a sample of prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged (i.e. 4-6 years) typically developing children ( n = 39) and verbal children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 61). Sibling presence, number of siblings, and having younger and older siblings were positively associated with theory of mind in typically developing children, but not in the full sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. However, in the subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder without sibling recurrence, the presence of at least one older sibling was positively associated with theory of mind. Findings expand previous limited research on the sibling-theory of mind link in children with autism spectrum disorder by demonstrating a potential difference in the influence of the sibling constellation between children from simplex and multiplex families.
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