‘We are the forgotten victims’: Perspectives of adult siblings of persons with traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The study demonstrates that having a sibling with a TBI can result in profound and enduring negative and positive life changes for non-injured siblings. Professionals need to attend to the needs of siblings for support and guidance and should be considered as key informants about their injured family members during intake and service planning.

Hope: A further dimension for engaging family members of people with ABI

“…(SO 12). The importance of emotional support for siblings was also emphasised (Degeneffe & Olney, 2010), since the main focus becomes the family member with the brain injury. They noted that siblings will constrain themselves, that they "will often not say anything because they don't want to worry Mum and Dad how they are feeling .…”

Psychotherapy for Families after Brain Injury

“…Siblings often become the "unrecognized" and "silent victims" of family system alterations after a brain injury (Cavallo and Kay 2011;Degeneffe and Olney 2010). Often, siblings' reactions are dichotomous (i.e., to the negative or positive extreme); however, they often undergo an altered sense of self as well as major psychological distress, including depression and other life curve balls (e.g., divorce, relationship estrangement and dysfunction, health matters, altered life rhythm, and other undesirable life experiences; Degeneffe and Lynch 2006;Degeneffe and Olney 2010;Gan et al 2006;Gill and Wells 2000;Orsillo et al 1993).…”

“…Often, siblings' reactions are dichotomous (i.e., to the negative or positive extreme); however, they often undergo an altered sense of self as well as major psychological distress, including depression and other life curve balls (e.g., divorce, relationship estrangement and dysfunction, health matters, altered life rhythm, and other undesirable life experiences; Degeneffe and Lynch 2006;Degeneffe and Olney 2010;Gan et al 2006;Gill and Wells 2000;Orsillo et al 1993). Some siblings feel like "assistant parents," thanks to their intensified hassles (see Gill and Wells 2000, for a review).…”

“…Some siblings feel like "assistant parents," thanks to their intensified hassles (see Gill and Wells 2000, for a review). Disruptions are associated with health of the sibling, the relative sturdiness and dynamics of the family unit, and the preinjury relationship between the sibling and injured loved one, which can have a "rippling effect" over time (Degeneffe and Olney 2010). Young siblings mourn the loss of their "partner in crime" of childhood naughtiness, now replaced with overwhelming accountability for policing his or her restricted activities.…”

“…Other behavioral manifestations are acting out, including failing grades and misbehavior in school (Cavallo and Kay 2011). Siblings may feel blameworthy because they are not more involved in the care of their loved one (Degeneffe and Olney 2010). Of note, each sibling may experience varied reactions and behaviors, which reverberate throughout the family system (Cavallo and Kay 2011).…”