Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study
BackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare depression and loneliness among adult siblings of people on the autism spectrum, adult siblings of normotypic individuals, and adults raised alone (only child). In recent years, an increasing interest in the perspective of siblings of children diagnosed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915915/full |
| _version_ | 1798038231517757440 |
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| author | Kasper Sipowicz Marlena Podlecka Łukasz Mokros Tadeusz Pietras Kamila Łuczyńska |
| author_facet | Kasper Sipowicz Marlena Podlecka Łukasz Mokros Tadeusz Pietras Kamila Łuczyńska |
| author_sort | Kasper Sipowicz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare depression and loneliness among adult siblings of people on the autism spectrum, adult siblings of normotypic individuals, and adults raised alone (only child). In recent years, an increasing interest in the perspective of siblings of children diagnosed with autism has been observed, with studies among this population particularly concerned with the developmental trajectories of children and adolescents at “high risk” for ASD, rarely focusing on their mental well-being.MethodsThe respondents filled out: the survey on sociodemographic data designed by the authors, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI, measure of depression), and De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS, assessment of loneliness).ResultsA rise in BDI and an increase in the DJGLS score were predicted by having a sibling diagnosed with ASD. Those effects were independent of subjects’ sex, educational status, place of residence, or a number of siblings.ConclusionThe results underline a fundamental need for the development of mental hygiene programs for families where children with autism spectrum are accompanied by healthy siblings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:37:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-433f533bbfa9481b95c1ec95c785f495 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:37:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-433f533bbfa9481b95c1ec95c785f4952022-12-22T04:01:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-08-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.915915915915Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional studyKasper Sipowicz0Marlena Podlecka1Łukasz Mokros2Tadeusz Pietras3Kamila Łuczyńska4Department of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies, The Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Neuroses, Personality Disorders and Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, PolandSecond Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, PolandBackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare depression and loneliness among adult siblings of people on the autism spectrum, adult siblings of normotypic individuals, and adults raised alone (only child). In recent years, an increasing interest in the perspective of siblings of children diagnosed with autism has been observed, with studies among this population particularly concerned with the developmental trajectories of children and adolescents at “high risk” for ASD, rarely focusing on their mental well-being.MethodsThe respondents filled out: the survey on sociodemographic data designed by the authors, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI, measure of depression), and De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS, assessment of loneliness).ResultsA rise in BDI and an increase in the DJGLS score were predicted by having a sibling diagnosed with ASD. Those effects were independent of subjects’ sex, educational status, place of residence, or a number of siblings.ConclusionThe results underline a fundamental need for the development of mental hygiene programs for families where children with autism spectrum are accompanied by healthy siblings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915915/fulldepressionlonelinesssocial supportautismfamily |
| spellingShingle | Kasper Sipowicz Marlena Podlecka Łukasz Mokros Tadeusz Pietras Kamila Łuczyńska Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study Frontiers in Psychology depression loneliness social support autism family |
| title | Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression – Preliminary findings from a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | being an adult sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder may be a predictor of loneliness and depression preliminary findings from a cross sectional study |
| topic | depression loneliness social support autism family |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915915/full |
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