Exploring Sibling Relationship Quality and Identity Among Non-Autistic Young Adults with Autistic Siblings

For non-autistic individuals who grow up with an autistic sibling, autism may influence sibling relationship quality and the extent to which siblinghood becomes a salient aspect of one’s identity. Prior research has largely focused on autistic/non-autistic sibling dyads in childhood and adolescence, with limited attention to sibling relationship quality and identity processes in adulthood. Guided by the Siblings Embedded Systems Framework, the current study examines how individual (e.g., broader autism phenotype traits, autism traits, advocacy and engagement), dyadic (e.g., gender, birth order, sibling contact), and family factors (e.g., marital status, socioeconomic status, parentification, perceived social support) are associated with sibling relationship quality and siblinghood identity salience among 150 non-autistic adults aged 18 – 40 who have an autistic sibling. Participants will complete an online survey assessing sibling relationship quality, siblinghood identity salience, non-autistic and autistic demographic characteristics, broader autism phenotype traits, parentification, perceived social support, advocacy and engagement, sibling contact, and informant-rated autistic traits of the autistic sibling. This novel study will identify individual, dyadic, and familial factors that predict sibling relationship quality and siblinghood identity salience in adulthood. Understanding these predictors is critical as positive sibling relationships contribute to individuals’ well-being, while strong siblinghood identity may support development of a healthy self-concept and future sibling support. Overall, these findings will inform the development of sibling-focused supports and family resources during the transition to adulthood, a period that remains critically understudied.