Indiana Psychological Association News
PsychByte: Sibling Support Groups
Sibling Support Groups
Within the United States, it is reported that approximately one in six children are living with a chronic medical condition or disability (CDC, 2015; University of Michigan Health System, 2012). Chronic medical conditions impact the health of a child and may require extensive treatment and even hospitalizations; as a result, the families of these children, particularly siblings, are affected. Over the last several decades, there has been an increase in the number of support services designed specifically for siblings of children with chronic medical conditions and disabilities.
The Sibling Support Project launched “Sibshops” in 1990. Sibshops are sponsored events designed specifically for children or teenagers who have a sibling with a serious medical condition or disability. Those who attend the events have the opportunity to meet and bond with other siblings, engage in healthy discussions about their experiences, learn in depth about the special needs and services pertaining to their sibling, and most importantly, have a great time. Currently, there are more than 400 registered Sibshops throughout the United States, with at least several available in every state; Sibshops also have an international presence in Canada, Japan, and several European and South American countries. Although the first Sibshops were primarily for children ages 8 to 13, there are now Sibshops for individuals as young as age 6 through adulthood.
Researchers have found positive outcomes for participants of Sibshops. For example, in a survey by Johnson and Sandall (2005), the majority of adult respondents who had previously attended Sibshop events reported Sibshops had a long-lasting positive influence on their feelings towards their sibling(s) with special health or developmental needs. Approximately 94% of respondents reported they would recommend Sibshop services.
There are more than fifteen organizations facilitating sibling support groups and workshops throughout the state of Indiana in 12 different location. For those who do not have a Sibshop or other means of sibling support in their area, the Sibling Support Project website provides resources for siblings to chat and locate other siblings in their area.
Interested in bringing a Sibshop to your community? Begin by contacting the Sibling Support Project via email, letter, or phone. From there, you can learn more about the program, how to become a trained Sibshop facilitator, and register a Sibshop in your area.
Resources
To learn more about sibling support groups in the state of Indiana:
Indiana Sibling Support Groups
To learn more about the Sibling Support Project, find a Sibshop in your area, or learn how to start a Sibshop:
www.siblingsupport.org
Other useful resources about support groups for the brothers and sisters of children with disabilities include the following:
www.autism-society.org
www.arnionline.org
www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/specneed.html
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Developmental disabilities. Retrieved from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website:
www.cdc.gov.
Johnson, A. B., & Sandall, S. (2005). Sibshops: A follow-up of participants of a sibling support program. University of Washington, Seattle.
The Sibling Support Project. (2016). Frequently asked questions about sibshops. Retrieved from the Sibling Support Project website:
www.siblingsupport.org.
University of Michigan Health System. (2012). Children with chronic conditions. Retrieved from the University of Michigan Health System website:
www.med.umich.edu.
Contributors:
Haley Wilde
Ed.S. candidate in School Psychology
Ball State University
Kim Zoder-Martell, Ph.D., HSPP, BCBA-D
Assistant Professor
Applied Behavior Analysis
Ball State University
"PsychBytes” is a weekly educational resource from the Indiana Psychological Association provided for psychologists, their colleagues and their patients.
