Human Development and Quantitative Methodology

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest growing disabilities in the United States. As the number of children diagnosed with ASD rises there is a parallel increase in families and siblings of children with ASD (F-ASD). There is a gap in the research (Meadan, Halle, & Ebata, 2010) on the interaction between children with ASD and other family members, especially siblings. In this study I explored sibling relationships in families of children with ASD with a focus on children of elementary to early middle-school age. Three research questions guided the inquiry: 1) What is the nature of sibling interactions in families of children with ASD, and do the individual characteristics of the child with and without ASD influence sibling relationships? 2) How do family attitudes and beliefs about ASD have an influence on sibling relationships? and 3) What factors contribute to parental decisions to access sibling support services? Sibling relationships in families of children with ASD were examined through observations, interviews, and focus groups. Siblings with and without ASD, parents, and clinical professionals participated in the process in order to gain multiple perspectives. Consistent with qualitative methods (Miles & Huberman, 1994), a four-stage analytic process involvin