Mutual Exchange

Caregiving and Life Enhancement in Siblings of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities

Bibliographic Data

ID2347746
AuthorsLaura Mauldin (0000-0002-2113-912X, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA, corresponding author), Mamta Saxena (State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY, USA)
Year2018
Volume39
Issue8
Pages2232-2264
Publication date2018-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Family Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0192-513X • E-ISSN: 1552-5481
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0192513x17746452
OpenAlexW2771807212
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited54

Individuals with disabilities increasingly live at home. This study focuses on experiences of adult siblings (aged 18 years and older) in the United States who have a brother or sister with an intellectual/developmental disability. It is based on qualitative survey data ( n = 224). We coded narratives of siblings' experiences and identified themes, correlating themes with demographic characteristics. The major finding was that narratives of the youngest age group (aged 18-25 years) had the highest number of direct care codes. This group of siblings also had the highest number of codes indicating that their lives were enhanced by their brother or sister. To account for this, we utilize the mutual exchange theory of care from sociology and a social model of disability. As a result, we suggest a richer theoretical understanding of care and disability that can capture these nuances, and comment on some of the historical tensions between disability studies and caregiving

Brother · Developmental psychology · Intellectual disability · Narrative · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Sibling · Sister · Social science · Sociology · Disability Rights and Representation · Family and Disability Support Research · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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