A Model of Family and Child Functioning in Siblings of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The potential clinical needs of typically developing (TD) siblings of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain disputed. A total of 239 mothers of youth aged 6–17, including one youth with ASD (M = 11.14 years; simplex families) and at least one other youth (M = 11.74 years) completed online standardized measures of various familial factors and TD youth outcomes. Overall, only 6–23% of siblings were identified within the clinical range of emotional, behavioral, or social functioning. Both maternal depression and sibling relationship were identified as key pathways in predicting siblings’ functioning within a good-fitting path analysis model. The current model is presented as a novel base for the development of future research and services for this unique population of children.