How Growing up with a Sibling with Disabilities Shapes Career Choices: A Qualitative Study of Helping Professionals...

Having a sibling with a disability is known to significantly impact career choices. However, the experiences and emotional processes of such individuals who pursue a career in a helping profession are not fully understood. This study aimed to clarify how the experience of growing up with a sibling with a disability in Japan has influenced their decision to pursue a career in a helping profession, as well as their approach to life as a helping professional. Following a descriptive qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with a sibling with a disability, and the results were analyzed qualitatively and inductively. The participants did not necessarily have a clear motivation to pursue a career in a helping profession; rather, they were influenced by their family experiences and living environments from childhood, as well as emotional conflicts. Supporting clients and their families enabled them to deepen their understanding of disabilities and welfare, as well as to resolve their own unresolved issues. The findings of this study highlight the need for support for siblings of people with disabilities. Providing siblings with opportunities to reflect on their experiences and find meaning in them is considered important for supporting self-understanding and well-being.