‘That’s just the Way it is’: The Experiences of Co-habiting Spanish Siblings of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Although the literature has provided a large body of evidence about the impact of having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), studies on how this influences typically-developing (TD) siblings are scarcer and less consistent in their findings. Moreover, fewer studies have included TD siblings from non-English speaking countries as informants from a qualitative perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of adolescents and adults with a sibling with ASD. The sample comprised 14 TD people from Spain aged between 12 and 29, currently living with a sibling with ASD. The thematic analysis revealed that participants identified seven domains of impact, grouped into three different levels: personal, dyadic, and family. The findings of the present study highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of TD sibling experiences and relationships among family members. This study presents topics that are of particular relevance to the Spanish context while identifying commonalities with other studies. These results highlight the importance of cultural factors in some family processes. In addition, results shed light on how TD siblings appraise differential parental treatment and potential protective factors for adjustment, incorporating the relevance of the individual parent-child relationship and certain parenting components as potential protective factors for TD siblings. Such information is important to develop more accurate and effective interventions and adjust the necessary resources to assist TD siblings.