Siblings of individuals with an LD during emerging adulthood LD V1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  How do individuals in emerging adulthood make sense of their role and relationship with their sibling who has a learning disability.

• IRAS ID

  346381

• Contact name

  Lee Hogan

• Contact email

  lee.hogan@bangor.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Bangor University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 1 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Many siblings of individuals with a learning disability (LD) worry about the future of their sibling with LD when their parents are no longer able to care for them and the impact that this may have on their lives (Davys et al., 2011; Davys et al., 2010). Within both the family life cycle and Erikson’s stages of development, the time period of 18-35 years (also referred to as emerging adulthood), is typically a time focused on moving away from the family unit, creating a sense of autonomy and distancing oneself from the family unit. It is unknown whether the typical pattern of emerging adulthood occurs for siblings in LD families and whether there are specific challenges associated with this move into adulthood. Specifically, it is unclear how the relationship with their sibling with LD changes during emerging adulthood. The study aims to explore the roles that siblings take on and the relationship they have with their sibling with LD during the period of emerging adulthood. Understanding the roles and relationships individuals have with their sibling with LD can help services to understand and support siblings to be involved in their sibling with LD’s life in a way that best suits them.

  This study will involve 60- to 90-minute interviews, using Microsoft teams, with adults aged between 18-40-years-old about their experiences of being a sibling to an individual with a learning disability. There will be no contact with the individual with a learning disability. There will be a question to establish eligibility (i.e., asking the sibling to confirm that their sibling has a learning disability and that their sibling aged over 18).

• REC name

  East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/EM/0265

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 Dec 2024

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion