Children's Experiences with Disabled and Nondisabled Siblings

Sibling relationship experiences may be altered in significant ways when children grow up with a disabled sister or brother. These experiences may have important implications for children’s well-being and development. Indeed, much of the literature on children with disabled siblings centers around the concern that their family experiences may be harmful to their social and emotional adjustment (e.g., Breslau, Weitzman, & Messenger, 1981; Dyson, 1989; Gath, 1972; Lobato, Barbour, Hall, & Miller, 1989).