The psychosocial impact on siblings of people with lifelong physical disability: A review of the literature

Adults with lifelong physical disability such as cerebral palsy are now likely to outlive their long time carers, typically their parents. Their siblings may then be called on to provide ongoing support, yet little is known about how this occurs or if the support offered is a function of earlier relationships. Therefore, we undertook a review of the literature to investigate the psychosocial impact on siblings when one has a lifelong physical disability. Computerized and manual searches identified 21 articles reporting empirical studies. These studies addressed the psychosocial impact of having a sibling with a physical disability. Only four articles were concerned with adult sibling relationships. An additional three articles relating to the adult sibling relationships of people with Down syndrome, autism and mental illness were included in an attempt to expand the adult perspective and identify if issues differed across different types of disability. The studies reviewed here highlight the need to expand sibling research to take a life span approach focussing on the views and experiences of the siblings both with and without disability. Increased understanding of siblings' hopes and expectations is imperative to ensure appropriate future support that includes a smooth transition from parents to siblings thus benefiting all stakeholders.