Examining the Acceptance of Siblings With Down Syndrome Through a Positive Psychological Lens

Abstract

Typically-developing siblings play an important role in the lives of their siblings with Down Syndrome (DS) and often develop a complex relationship with their sibling. Positive psychology focuses on the positive strengths of an individual and optimal coping with challenging situations, among which can be considered growing up with a sibling with a disability. Optimism, an important way of perceiving the world, may help shape the emotions toward the sibling with DS and how social support is perceived by the typically-developing sibling. As such, this study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore how optimism, social support, and negative emotions toward a sibling with DS related to the sibling’s acceptance by the typically-developing sibling. Participants were 306 typically-developing siblings of individuals with DS (201 sisters and 105 brothers). SEM revealed that optimism did not directly relate to sibling acceptance, but did relate through the mediation of emotions and social support toward the sibling. The results highlight the need to promote positive strengths and coping skills such as optimism, increase social support, and encourage the expression and processing of the typically-developing siblings’ emotions within the family system.