A study on the experiences facilitative to adjustment of siblings of children with mental retardation

The investigates the experiences of siblings of children with mental retardation (CWMR), in selected special education centers in the Division of City Schools, Manila.It employed the descriptive method and utilized a researcher-devised questionnaire and unstructured interview. Questionnaires were distributed to siblings who were in grade four and above.Results of the study revealed that siblings of CWMR are mostly female, are studying, and have other relatives living with them. Most of them belong to the 13-30 age group, hence, there are more people taking care of them. This study also revealed that siblings of CWMR encountered facilitative experiences from their parents, relatives and communities with reference to the attention given them, the love showered by parents, the ability to express their fears and apprehensions about their brother\u27s or sister\u27s disability and the possibility of suffering from the same condition among others. Among the non-facilitative experiences encountered by siblings of CWMR from their parents particularly their fathers are their difficulty expressing their fear about the possibility of suffering from the same disability receiving less attention and inability to talk about their brother\u27s/sister\u27s disability to their fathers. Findings of the study should therefore be disseminated to parents to make them aware of the effects of their own behavior to their typically developing children. Outcomes also imply that parents, siblings, and the society be oriented on the nature of CWMR, and that networking of parents also have typically developing children living with a sibling with mental retardation be encouraged so that they can share and learn from each other\u27s experiences