TY - JOUR
T1 - The sibling-in-law
T2 - Understanding an unknown member of the disability community
AU - Zemke, Kirsten E.
AU - Burke, Meghan M.
AU - Urbano, Richard C.
AU - Hodapp, Robert M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Association on Mental Retardation. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10/8
Y1 - 2020/10/8
N2 - Little attention has focused on siblings-in-law, the spouses of siblings of people with disabilities. Using an online survey, 102 siblings-in-law provided information concerning themselves, their spouses, in-law family, and experiences. Overall experiences were rated as positive (51.0%), mixed (34.3%), or negative (14.7%). Compared to respondents with negative outcomes, respondents with positive and mixed outcomes felt being a sibling-in-law more positively impacted their marriage, relationship with in-laws, parenting, desire to advocate, and career. Before marriage, these two groups better understood sibling-in-law responsibilities and reported less worry about marrying into a family with a member with disabilities or having children with disabilities. In open-ended reflections, 1/3 of respondents discussed family dynamics; improving disability knowledge; future planning; and marriage considerations. Practice and research implications are discussed.
AB - Little attention has focused on siblings-in-law, the spouses of siblings of people with disabilities. Using an online survey, 102 siblings-in-law provided information concerning themselves, their spouses, in-law family, and experiences. Overall experiences were rated as positive (51.0%), mixed (34.3%), or negative (14.7%). Compared to respondents with negative outcomes, respondents with positive and mixed outcomes felt being a sibling-in-law more positively impacted their marriage, relationship with in-laws, parenting, desire to advocate, and career. Before marriage, these two groups better understood sibling-in-law responsibilities and reported less worry about marrying into a family with a member with disabilities or having children with disabilities. In open-ended reflections, 1/3 of respondents discussed family dynamics; improving disability knowledge; future planning; and marriage considerations. Practice and research implications are discussed.
KW - Caring for adults with IDD
KW - Families
KW - Sibling-in-law
KW - Siblings
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U2 - 10.1352/1934-9556-58.5.361
DO - 10.1352/1934-9556-58.5.361
M3 - Article
C2 - 33032320
AN - SCOPUS:85092683898
SN - 1934-9491
VL - 58
SP - 361
EP - 378
JO - Intellectual and developmental disabilities
JF - Intellectual and developmental disabilities
IS - 5
ER -