M. Stawski et al., BEHAVIORAL-PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC PHYSICAL ILLNESS AND THEIR SIBLINGS, European child & adolescent psychiatry, 6(1), 1997, pp. 20-25
Children suffering from chronic physical illness are considered to be
at increased risk for behavioural problems, There is also evidence tha
t their siblings are at risk for behavioural problems, This study inve
stigated parent-reported behavioural problems in chronically ill child
ren and their siblings. There were significant positive correlations b
etween the behaviour problem scores of the ill children and the scores
of their siblings. Siblings older than the ill child had significantl
y higher behaviour problem scores of an internalizing nature than did
the younger siblings. Sibling behaviour problem scores were similar to
those of a comparison group of normal children and significantly diff
erent from those of a comparison group of psychiatrically referred chi
ldren. Siblings of chronically ill children showed no greater likeliho
od of receiving scores in the clinical range of behaviour problems tha
n children in the general population. Implications of the findings and
suggestions for future research are discussed.