Emotional attachment among sibling relations whose parent has schizophrenia

Pages: 1054-1059
Rebecca Susan Johnson and Anuradha Sathiyaseelan (Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka)

Sibling relation is an important subsystem of the family system. Attachment among sibling relations has been understudied despite considerable evidence on how this relationship can be influential in an individual’s life. This study focuses on the emotional attachment siblings experience as part of growing in a family setup wherein a parent is diagnosed with schizophrenia. This study involved interviewing sibling dyads who had either parent suffering from schizophrenia while in their growing years. The sibling dyads were 18 years and above who had one parent diagnosed with schizophrenia. The analysis revealed that being together during the time of their parents’ illness brought them closer as siblings. The situation at home also enabled them to take certain roles and responsibilities in the family. The analysis also brought out the differences in roles among the elder and younger sibling and how being in such situation enabled the younger sibling also to transition their role as well. Findings contribute to the understanding of how siblings create an emotional attachment among themselves with a severe situation at home. Also, findings contribute in understanding the importance of involving the family in the rehabilitation process thereby enabling the children to carry out their expected roles in the family.