About the Project

Siblings of children with special needs often face mental health and emotional challenges without proper support. This project was a pioneering effort aimed at supporting siblings of children with disabilities. The researcher contributed to the adaption of a group-based intervention into a virtual format called iSibworkS. The goal of this intervention was to evaluate the effectiveness of iSibworkS for siblings aged 8 to 13 and extend it to support teens aged 14 to 18.  The research not only assessed the delivery of iSibworkS but also explored the experiences and benefits of this intervention from the perspective of both siblings and parents. The project aimed to strengthen social networks, improve family relationships, and enhance the resilience of these often-underserved siblings, making a valuable contribution to their well-being.

Methodology

The methodology involved collaborating with various stakeholders, including siblings, caregivers, clinicians, community organizations, students, and researchers. A scoping review following established guidelines to summarize existing literature on interventions for siblings of children with disabilities was conducted. For the iSibworkS intervention, data was collected by having children, youth, and their caregivers complete questionnaires before, immediately after, and three months post-intervention to measure changes in social support and overall quality of life.

Findings

• The study revealed a lack of virtual intervention options for siblings of children with disabilities.

• In iSibworkS, social support remained consistent for siblings aged 8-13, except for a significant increase in social support among female siblings from parents, classmates, and close friends.

• These findings emphasize the importance of creating customized virtual interventions to enhance the mental well-being of children and youth with disabilities.

• Siblings’ unique experience was purposefully considered by developing iSibworkS with families. Through iSibworkS, siblings were able to identify and describe their feelings, and gain experiences with problem solving to support their mental well-being. 

Project Outreach

The original SibworkS intervention was developed in Australia and was adapted for virtual delivery, forming iSibworkS, by the research team in Ontario. The original SibworkS intervention was scaled for delivery to other age groups forming iSibworkS-Jr and iSibworkS-Teen. Through dissemination of findings, this work will be shared nationally and internationally.

Resources Created

• Co-supervised three students (2 Master of Occupational Therapy, and 1 graduate student) working on this project

• 4 conference presentations (Empowered Kids Ontario Spring Symposium; Child Health Symposium; Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Graduate Research Day at the University of Toronto)

• Presentations to internal groups of knowledge users about the project

• 2 publications in preparation for submission

• The researcher’s contribution helped the project to create numerous other resources (click HERE to read about Drs. Scratch and Elkader’s project).