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Stress and siblings
1Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service, Royal Hospital Haslar, Gansport, Hampshire.
Insights
Healthy siblings of hospitalised children often experience stress, with 77% reporting sadness. Older siblings and those visiting more frequently showed increased behavioural changes during a sibling's acute hospitalisation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Family Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Sibling hospitalisation for acute conditions can impact the well-being of healthy children.
- Understanding the psychological impact on siblings is crucial for comprehensive family-centered care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the stress and behavioural changes experienced by healthy siblings of children hospitalised for acute conditions.
- To quantify the level of stress using a perceived change scale (PCS).
Main Methods:
- Interviews were conducted with 19 healthy siblings aged 7-11 years.
- Participants had a sibling hospitalised for at least 24 hours due to a medical, surgical, or traumatic condition.
- Stress levels were measured using the perceived change scale (PCS).
Main Results:
- 77% of siblings reported experiencing stress during their sibling's hospitalisation.
- Siblings over seven years old and those visiting more than once exhibited more behavioural changes.
- Of those experiencing stress, 77% reported feelings of sadness.
Conclusions:
- Healthy siblings of hospitalised children frequently experience significant stress and emotional distress.
- Age and frequency of hospital visits are associated with increased behavioural changes in siblings.
- Interventions supporting siblings during a child's hospitalisation are warranted to address emotional needs.
Abstract:
A study was undertaken to investigate the stress experienced by healthy siblings of children undergoing hospitalisation for an acute condition. Nineteen children aged between seven and 11 years old, who had had a sibling hospitalised for 24 hours or more for a surgical, medical or traumatic condition were interviewed. The amount of stress experienced by the siblings was quantified using a perceived change scale (PCS). It was found that 77 per cent of the subjects included in the study had experienced stress during the hospitalisation of a sibling. Siblings over the age of seven years, and those who had visited the hospitalised child more than once, had experienced more behavioural changes. Of those who experienced stress, 77 per cent had feelings of sadness during that time.