Growing up with a sibling diagnosed with schizophrenia: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the well sibling experience

This study investigates the lived experiences of well-siblings who grew up alongside a sibling diagnosed with schizophrenia, with a particular focus on the developmental periods of adolescence and emerging adulthood in which the diagnosis typically occurred. Employing a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), resulting in eight superordinate themes: No Longer the Same: Diagnosis as a Life-Altering Event, Parental Attitudes and Culture Impacting the Diagnosis and Well Sibling, The Impact of Schizophrenia on the Sibling Bond: An Experience of Loss, The Hidden Burden of Being "Well," Experiences of Support and Burden Sharing within Familial and Social Contexts, The Effect of Social Distress of Illness: Restriction and Shame, Living with a Sibling's Illness: Cumulative, Enduring, and Ongoing Emotional Effects, and Emerging Stronger: Emotional and Personal Growth Through Sibling Illness. Findings suggest that having a sibling with schizophrenia generates long-term emotional, relational, and developmental consequences for well-siblings. Participants described carrying invisible burdens, navigating disrupted family roles, and struggling with social stigma, while also demonstrating resilience and emotional maturity. Within a Turkish cultural context, this study emphasizes how collectivist family structures and sociocultural norms shape the meaning-making processes and coping strategies of well-siblings. From a developmental and systemic perspective, the impact of a sibling's illness extends across the lifespan, influencing identity formation, emotional regulation, and future planning. The findings are discussed in relation to cultural, developmental, and family systems frameworks, offering implications for clinical practice and sibling-included mental health interventions.