THE ROLE OF ADULT SIBLINGS IN PROVIDING SOCIAL SUPPORT TO THE SEVERELY MENTALLY-ILL

This paper examines the role of adult siblings in caregiving for the severely mentally ill. Because people with a serious mental illness are rarely married and because they usually outlive their parents, the potential role of siblings in assuming caretaking responsibilities is critical for the success of community care. The paper tests several hypotheses relating perceived patient need, attitudes towards the ill sibling, adult role commitments, social networks, gender, and race to the extent of sibling involvement and assistance in caregiving. Data stem from 109 siblings named by patients released from mental hospitals and 24-hour crisis care facilities in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo, Ohio. The results indicate that greater patient need, positive attitudes towards the ill sibling, and other role involvements are the major factors influencing sibling caregiving. Comparative analyses show that personal relationships and alternative role involvements are better predictors of sibling than of parental caregiving. The paper discusses some of the implications of these findings for the community care of disabled populations.