ADOLESCENT SIBLINGS OF DIABETICS: PERCEPTIONS OF THE ILLNESS EXPERIENCE.
Contributors: St. Louis University.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 195
Subjects: Education, Guidance and Counseling.; Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Although numerous references are made to the stressful, deleterious effects of chronic illness on siblings of pediatric patients, very few studies have included siblings of diabetics, especially adolescent siblings. In addition the use of siblings as informants has been overlooked by researchers in favor of parental reports. The study examined the impact of a child's insulin dependent diabetes as perceived by the adolescent sibling in regards to role change, changes in power structure, changes in family boundaries, and changes within family communication patterns relating to the illness. The study also sought to discover common concerns of adolescents about their diabetic siblings and their perceived impact on the diabetics' control and adjustment to the disease.

Data were collected through the use of a semistructured interview schedule developed and administered by the investigator. Eleven siblings and parents from six families participated in the study. One parent from each family completed a Parent Questionnaire solely to collect demographic data.

The majority of the siblings had a basic understanding of diabetes, its manifestations and its consequences. The siblings who were the youngest at the time of the diagnosis had the least information about the disease. No relationship was found between adolescent's knowledge and their involvement with the care of the diabetic. Regardless of age or birth order, all the siblings adopted a protective role toward the diabetic. While having a diabetic brother/sister was a stressful experience for them, the siblings in the study appeared to be coping very well with the issues and conflicts directly related to the diabetes. Siblings in families who perceived their parents gave preferential treatment of the diabetic described more negative changes than did those who did not perceive parental preferential treatment. All the siblings reported some personal growth as a direct result of the illness.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-09, Section: A, page: 2717.

Thesis (PH.D.)--SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY, 1994.

School code: 0193.