Depression/ anxiety in siblings of children with cerebral palsy and relationship between their siblings

The aim of this research is to compare the depression/anxiety sibling relationships of children who have sibling with cerebral palsy and typically developing. Participants in the study are between the ages of 7-18. 59 children who have sibling with cerebral palsy and 59 children who have typically developing particapated in the research. Personal Information Form, Schaeffer Sibling Behavior Rating Scale, Child Anxiety and Depression Scale tools have been used to collect data in this research. In the Personal Information Form, there are variables such as gender, age, family type and parental marital status of the participants. The data were analyzed with the SPSS for Windows 22.0 package program. In our study, it was concluded that the incidence of depression and anxiety was lower in children who have sibling with cerebral palsy compared to children with typically developing sibling. It was concluded that children who have sibling with cerebtal palsy were kinder towards their siblings, more associated with and interested in their sibling, a higher level of empathy with their sibling, and less physical aggression towards their sibling, compared to children with typically developing sibling.