Intervention with Siblings of Children with Developmental Disabilities from Economically Disadvantaged Families

In: Families in society: the journal of contemporary human services, Volume 80, Issue 6, p. 569-577

Abstract

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based intervention for economically disadvantaged African American children who had siblings with a developmental disability. The children were randomly divided into two groups: one group was involved in an after-school program designed to support siblings of children with developmental disabilities and provide a positive environment with rewarding experiences; the other group did not participate in the program. The socioemotional functioning of the two groups was compared. The results indicated that the group who participated in the after-school program showed significantly improved socioemotional adjustment compared to the other group. Implications for providing services to families of children with developmental disabilities are discussed.