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• EXPERIENCES AND SUPPORT NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH BROTHER OR SISTER WITH DISABILITY

  69-81

  Tiiu Tammemäe

  Lii Lilleoja

  Mari-Liis Valma

  Views:

  446

  There are many children with special needs whose siblings play an important role in their lives for a longer time than other family members. Longer life expectancy and the deepening of disabilities bring along a higher need of being taken care of. When the parents grow older it is often the siblings who become the caretakers. Meyer & Vadasy (2007) found that if siblings of children with SEN get proper support and information while growing up, the well-being of siblings with special needs also increases. Relationship with a sibling with special needs influences development of adaptability and self-esteem, this influence can be positive or negative (Burke, 2008). The parents of the children with SEN have many ways to receive information or help from the family – doctors, therapists, consultants, teachers, books, etc. The siblings in their turn usually get their information from the parents. (Conway & Meyer, 2008) Family members of different ages need different information. Therefore, there should be research on what kind of experiences do the siblings of the disabled child need, how their needs and well-being are guaranteed, and what kind of support they need. The aim of this study is to describe the experiences of brothers and sisters with siblings with special needs, try to understand their need for support, and find out the need for support groups and camps.

• SIBLING CARE - SIBLINGS CARING FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

  111-121

  Ildikó Pető

  Views:

  544

  The increasing life expectancy of adults with intellectual disabilities has raised new questions and challenges for families. Depending on the severity of their condition, people with intellectual disabilities need support from their families and environment to vary degrees throughout their lives. They depend on their family members, which addiction is a new problem as parents get older, and care will be the responsibility of siblings who are already living independent lives, sometimes geographically far away. Sibling care should be interpreted differently than when it is performed by a parent or a paid carer, it is more emotionally complex, its content and direction are diverse. We know not too much about sibling caregivers, we only have hypothetical answers to the questions based on a small number of studies or research in similar areas. This paper aims to provide an overview of the situation and motivations of adults who care of and take responsibility for their siblings with intellectual disabilities, and of their role and interaction of the various influences that help them understand. Getting to know siblings is necessary in order for the support system of the special education and social policy to adapt properly to the situation of the  - unfortunately - barely ‘visible’ population.

• INVESTIGATION OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND EMPATHY IN THE SIBLINGS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

  59-68

  Anna Szabina Szele

  Judit Inántsy-Pap

  Views:

  539

  In recent years, more and more researchers have focused on studies of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, studying their siblings has gained less scientific interest. The present study focuses on siblings of children with ASD and assesses their characteristics in terms of emotional intelligence and empathy. Our sample consisted of n = 61 children in two age groups studied: 6-8 and 10-15 years old. Our experimental group consisted of n = 30 siblings of children with ASD, while our control group also consisted of n = 31 children with sibling relationships. Subjects completed two paper-and-pencil tests: the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (Children’s Version), and depending on the age group, the Emotional Intelligence Test (EIT 6-8 / EIT 10-15). We identified higher emotional intelligence and empathy in higher age groups. Among 6-8 years old siblings of children with ASD, higher scores were found to be. At the level of gender differences, girls performed more outstandingly in the tests examined. In our study, the 6-8 years old siblings of children with ASD can be characterized by a higher degree of emotional intelligence and empathy, however, we cannot draw conclusions in a representative way for the entire population.