UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES WITHIN SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH EMERGING ADULTHOOD

Abstract

Sibling relationships, one of the most important relationships an individual can have, plays a significant role during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. To properly comprehend how siblings can impact one another, the current study examined how disabilities impact sibling relationships during emerging adulthood. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the positive aspects of sibling relationships when one sibling has a disability. The second purpose is to contribute to previous literature by using a self-perspective lens on the experience through the lens of an emerging adult. Through a mixed methods approach, results showed that childhood sibling relationships have a significant direct impact on sibling relationships during adulthood. However, there was not a direct relationship between demographics in both childhood and adulthood relationships. After analyzing the opened questions, most of the participants agreed that they gained positive aspects and experiences from their sibling with a disability.