Abstract
This study explores how siblings of people with disabilities live their lives. In-depth conversations were held on
several occasions between two people who had siblings with disabilities and the first author of this article. In such
conversations, the interviewer also narrated her experience as a sibling, since narratives are constructed through
interactions between the speaker and the listener. The analysis focused on specific aspects that revealed information
regarding their past and future lives, and the process of the in-depth conversation was also highlighted. The results
showed that the interviewees had varied experiences as siblings of people with disabilities, but they typically had a
"double life story," which represented their own and their siblings’ lives. Meanwhile, they differed in the extent to
which they were willing to live independently, and they had ambivalent feelings toward independence. By
considering the meanings of independence and interdependence, the siblings may be able to find an alternative
lifestyle, which goes beyond the dichotomy between living independently and living with their families.
