Problems faced by normal siblings of handicapped children: an exploratory study of 20 siblings of spina bifida children

Abstract

From a review of literature it was found that the arrival of a handicapped child may present a crisis situation for a family and normal siblings face considerable stress and often show problem behaviours. Educational performance, aggression and family relationships were studied. The sample comprised 20 school age siblings of 13 children with spina bifida living in the Wellington region. Academic attainment was investigated for 10 subjects through administration of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Revised, the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability and the Key Math Diagnostic Test. Reading performance (p<0.01), but not maths, was found to be significantly lower than expected. A checklist of co-operative versus aggressive behaviours was completed by teachers and no notable trend towards aggression was found. All 20 subjects were administered the Bene Anthony Family Relations Test. Subjects perceived siblings with spina bifida to be significantly more over-protected by mothers (p<0.005) and over-indulged by both mothers and fathers (p<0.005, p<0.005) than themselves and other siblings. Sibling rivalry between subjects and siblings with spina bifida was no more prevalent than between subjects and other siblings or between siblings in Frost's (1969) study of "normal" children. While findings are not necessarily attributable to the presence of the child with spina bifida questions for further study and points for assisting families are developed.