‘My whole role in the family was to be fine’: Exploring the lived experience of typically developing siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental disability

People who grew up alongside a sibling with disability are a significant yet under-researched population in Australia. These siblings often minimise or suppress their own needs to maintain family stability, a dynamic that may carry enduring consequences for attachment and mental health. This study explored the lived experiences of eight Australian typically developing (TD) adults who grew up alongside a sibling with neurodevelopmental disability (ND), using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) within a critical realist (CR) framework. That is, we explored how people make sense of their lived experiences, while also recognising that these experiences are shaped by deeper social and structural forces. This paper uncovered themes relating to Family Dynamics and Relational Impact and adoption of the needless child role by TD siblings. We discuss mechanisms related to external support that appear to moderate this effect. This paper explains this dynamic through the lens of attachment theory. We argue that the current findings support a family-systems approach to disability services, in which siblings are recognised as stakeholders and in need of targeted support. 
Keywords: attachment, critical realism, interpretative phenomenological analysis, neurodevelopmental disability, siblings.