Feelings of siblings living with a child with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the kinds of feeling that siblings of a child with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) living at home have towards SMID children, themselves, and their parents and grandparents while living with their family, and to examine how nurses can support these siblings. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven siblings aged 12 years or over of an SMID child. Our results showed that siblings were ambivalent in recognizing the confusion and annoyance of situations caused by disabilities, while taking their brother/sister with SMID as ordinary siblings. They showed their gratitude to his parents and grandparents, envisaging own future apart from their brother/sister with SMID. Our study suggests the need for support the siblings' own life course selection while understanding their siblings' feelings and conflicts and coordinating their feelings with their families.