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The influence of down's syndrome on sibling interaction
R Abramovitch1, L Stanhope, D Pepler
1Centre for Research in Human Development, Erindale College, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|November 1, 1987
Summary
Children with Down syndrome (DS) imitate more and initiate less prosocial behavior with siblings. These interaction patterns in DS siblings were observed regardless of birth order or gender.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Genetics and Gene Disorders
Background:
- Sibling interactions are crucial for child development.
- Understanding unique interaction patterns in families with a child with Down syndrome (DS) is important.
- Previous research highlights normative sibling interaction dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare sibling interaction behaviors in dyads where one child has Down syndrome.
- To identify specific behavioral differences and similarities between siblings with and without Down syndrome.
- To explore the influence of factors like birth order and gender on these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Home-based naturalistic observations were conducted.
- Sibling dyads included 31 families with one child diagnosed with Down syndrome and one non-handicapped sibling.
- Behavioral observations focused on prosocial, agonistic, and imitative behaviors.
Main Results:
- Siblings with Down syndrome initiated less prosocial and agonistic behavior compared to their non-handicapped siblings.
- Siblings with Down syndrome demonstrated more frequent imitation of their siblings.
- These observed differences were consistent across different birth orders and genders.
- Higher prosocial behaviors in certain dyads were attributed to the non-handicapped sibling's age.
Conclusions:
- Sibling interactions involving a child with Down syndrome exhibit distinct patterns, including reduced initiation of prosocial behaviors and increased imitation.
- Findings suggest that developmental differences associated with Down syndrome influence sibling dyadic interactions.
- The study's results align with previous research on normative sibling interactions, providing comparative insights.