Sources of Stress Among Adult Siblings of Irish people with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Siblings play an important role in the lives of their brothers and sisters with intellectual disability when they reside in the parental home. Many assume a primary caregiving role following the death of their parents or when parents are no longer able to give care. Sources of stress reported by 39 adult siblings of Irish men and women with intellectual disability were explored. Siblings who were primary caregivers were older and earned less income than their counterparts in a second group who lived in the parental home and who had an especially close bond with their brother or sister with intellectual disability. Perceived social support as well as their brother or sister’s independence were significantly related to the stress reported by siblings on the short form of the QRS-F. Neither levels of reported stress nor the presence of a plan for their relative’s future distinguished the two groups of siblings.