Psychological and Behavioural Impact of Autism Spectrum Disorder on Siblings

introduction and Objectives Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood, characterized by impairments in communication, behaviour & social functioning, with a prevalence of 1.6 in 1000 children in Malaysia. Living with a child with ASD can result in significant financial, emotional and lifestyle challenges for the family and siblings. This study aimed to compare the psychological well-being of these siblings versus their parents’ and general population; and their social well-being versus parents’ perspective and general population.

Methodology [Refer to Poster].

Results We recruited 34 study group pairs & 34 controls. A. Socio-demographics: 33 families in the study group (97.1%) had one child with ASD. Majority of the participating parents in the study group were mothers (n=27, 79.4%). Among the fathers in both groups, almost two-fifth of them (n=27, 39.7%) were routine & semi-routine workers while 38 (55.9%) had secondary education level. Majority of the mothers in both groups (n=38, 55.9%) were full time housewives while 38 (55.9%) had secondary education level. A total of 47 families (69.2%) in both groups had a combined monthly income of below RM5000. Most children were Chinese (58.8%) females (67.6%).

Discussion and Conclusion Psychological well-being of siblings of ASD children were similar to their parents and controls, but poorer than the general adolescent population (NHMS 2017). Their social well-being was similar to the controls. Their parents perceived them to have higher SDQ scores.