The Role of the Broader Autism Phenotype and Environmental Stressors in the Adjustment of Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan and the United Kingdom

Abstract

The influence of the broader autism phenotype (BAP) on the adjustment of siblings of children with autism has previously been researched mainly in Western cultures. The present research evaluated a diathesis-stress model of sibling adjustment using a questionnaire study including 80 and 75 mother-typically developing sibling dyads in Taiwan and the United Kingdom (UK). UK siblings reported elevated adjustment difficulties compared to the Taiwanese sample and to normative data. Whilst higher BAP levels were generally associated with greater adjustment difficulties, differences were found across cultures and respondents. Although significant diathesis-stress interactions were found, these were in the opposite direction from those predicted by the model, and differed across cultural settings. Implications for culturally-sensitive sibling support are considered.

Siblings’ experiences of growing up with children with autism in Taiwan and the United Kingdom

“…In cross-culture studies of families with children with autism, there is some evidence of both similarities and differences in family experience. For example, research examining outcomes for siblings found that UK siblings were more affected in terms of total difficulties and peer problems, but Taiwanese siblings were affected more in prosocial behaviours (Tsai, Cebula, & Fletcher-Watson, 2017). Similarly, Lin, Orsmond, Coster, and Cohn (2011) found that Taiwanese mothers used more problemfocused and emotion-focused coping than did their American counterparts.…”

Family impact and adjustment across the lifespan: Siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“…In a mixed disability sample, parent-reported sibling cooperation was positively associated with authoritative parenting, sibling relationship quality, and female gender (Platt et al, 2014). Finally, a study by Tsai et al (2017) highlighted the interaction between characteristics of British siblings and children with ASD. At low levels of sibling BAP characteristics, higher ASD severity in the target child was associated with more peer problems in the sibling, but this pattern was reversed when the sibling had more BAP characteristics (Tsai et al, 2017).…”

“…Since the groups were matched on sociodemographic variables and these variables were included as covariates in analyses, group differences likely reflect cultural rather than SES differences (Lobato et al, 2011). Moreover, siblings of children with ASD from the United Kingdom had worse self-reported general adjustment, emotional symptoms, and peer problems but similar levels of externalizing problems compared with Taiwanese siblings, but Taiwanese siblings had significantly higher scores on a parent-reported measure of the BAP and lower self-reported prosocial functioning compared with siblings from the United Kingdom (Tsai et al, 2016(Tsai et al, , 2017.…”

“…Finally, a study by Tsai et al (2017) highlighted the interaction between characteristics of British siblings and children with ASD. At low levels of sibling BAP characteristics, higher ASD severity in the target child was associated with more peer problems in the sibling, but this pattern was reversed when the sibling had more BAP characteristics (Tsai et al, 2017).…”

A Meta-Analysis on Adjustment Difficulties in Siblings of Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Siblings of children with ASD may be at risk for negative behavior problems such as aggression, hyperactivity, and demandingness (Gregory et al, 2020;Griffith et al, 2015;Macks & Reeve, 2007;Mascha & Boucher, 2006;Rodrigue et al, 1993;Ross & Cuskelly, 2006;Tomeny et al, 2012;Thijssen et al, 2017;Verte et al, 2003;Warren et al, 2011;Walton & Ingersoll, 2015). A few studies revealed a direct connection between the severity of ASD symptoms and TD siblings' difficulty in adjustment (Benson & Karlof, 2008;McHale et al, 2016;Rosello et al, 2020;Tsai et al, 2017). Many siblings of children with ASD reported that autistic behaviors (e.g., aggres-sion, tantrums, excessive anger, and explosiveness) affect their lives in one way or another (Mascha & Boucher, 2006;Sukhodolsky et al, 2021) and that aggression is the most common type of stressor (Ross & Cuskelly, 2006).…”