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Authors: Parandaman Thechanamurthi, Jia Hui, Greeshma Chandran, Teerousha Mootin Sornum
Keywords: Siblings Relationship, Coping Strategies, Psychoeducation, Mental Health, Support Group
Abstract: During the last three decades, there has been increased awareness of the needs of siblings of children with a disability. Considerable research has reported that having a brother or sister with a disability places typically developing siblings at increased risk of experiencing significant levels of problems in interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being, less parental attention, poor peer relations and teasing by peers, and psychological difficulties. Existing evidence highlight the importance of sibling support groups, a platform for typically developing siblings to talk and share experiences, which was found to benefit siblings by improving their self-concept. Siblings of disabled children face unique challenges; hence sibling support groups are valuable and warranted. In Singapore, sibling groups are conducted across various social services and special schools, however, current sibling support groups in Singapore primarily focus on providing siblings with an avenue to interact and build bonds with other siblings through recreational activities rather than offering a space to process their thoughts and feelings. Moreover, none of these services have examined the effectiveness of running such groups.
Hence, using the “FRAME” framework, developed by a UK charity SIBS, the present project aims to run a psychoeducational therapeutic sibling support group “Being a SuperSib” that utilizes an integrative approach using psychoeducation and directed facilitation to create a safe group climate for siblings to process their thoughts and feelings while also providing them a platform to engage with and learn from others who are from similar backgrounds and have shared experiences, equipping them with the knowledge about having a sibling with special needs and supporting them through skills building to cope with distress when living or caring for a sibling with added needs. The present study additionally aims to evaluate the efficacy of running a sibling group in Singapore.
Study comprises running a sibling support group that consists of 10 sessions of 90 minutes each, with one group session a week. Participants comprise seven children attending mainstream schools in Singapore, aged 7 to 11 years old, with both males (n= 4) and females (n = 3), who have a sibling with a disability or multiple disabilities currently attending the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS). A mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) design is adopted. At pre and post, participants self-report on various measures, including the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire as well as participating in a semi-structured interview. Parents of participants self-report on demographics, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and Siblings Relationship Questionnaire.
Hypotheses examined are:
• Neurotypical siblings would show improved self-esteem post group
• Neurotypical siblings would show improved mood and sibling relationships post group
• Neurotypical siblings would show improved personal social skills post group
The present study contributes to the literature by providing a fuller understanding of the various aspects of the relationships between siblings and their brother or sister with special needs and the mental health effects as well as the benefits of sibling support group. Clinical and practical implications will be discussed in the Singapore context.