Honey A, Halse C
School of Education, Bankstwon Campus, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Child Care Health Dev. 2007 Jan;33(1):52-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00617.x.
Research has suggested that well siblings of children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses are at risk for negative outcomes and that parents' responses to the illnesses can influence the adaptation of well siblings. Yet, parents' efforts to look after well siblings in the context of illness are rarely considered in literature about sibling adaptation. The importance of attending to the needs of well siblings was a major theme to emerge from a qualitative analysis of the experiences of parents of adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa.
In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 parents of adolescent girls with anorexia and analysed using grounded theory method.
The data indicated that parents viewed caring for well siblings in the context of anorexia as an important role and responsibility. Parents reported making conscious and active efforts to look after well siblings by: maintaining normality; compensating for changes to routines; protecting siblings; providing emotional support; and managing the consequences.
This paper provides a picture of the actions parents take to help well siblings adapt to anorexia in the family. Further research is needed to develop and expand this understanding to families experiencing a wide range of chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The findings underline the importance of clinical attention and further research into the critical parental role of caring for well siblings.
研究表明，患有慢性和危及生命疾病的儿童的健康兄弟姐妹面临负面后果的风险，而且父母对疾病的反应会影响健康兄弟姐妹的适应情况。然而，在关于兄弟姐妹适应情况的文献中，很少考虑父母在疾病背景下照顾健康兄弟姐妹的努力。关注健康兄弟姐妹需求的重要性是对神经性厌食症少女父母的经历进行定性分析后出现的一个主要主题。
对24位患有厌食症的少女的父母进行了深入访谈，并采用扎根理论方法进行分析。
数据表明，父母将在厌食症背景下照顾健康兄弟姐妹视为一项重要的角色和责任。父母报告称，他们通过以下方式有意识地积极努力照顾健康兄弟姐妹：维持正常状态；弥补日常生活的变化；保护兄弟姐妹；提供情感支持；以及应对后果。
本文描述了父母为帮助健康兄弟姐妹适应家庭中的厌食症所采取的行动。需要进一步开展研究，以将这种理解拓展并应用于经历各种慢性和危及生命疾病的家庭。研究结果强调了临床关注以及进一步研究照顾健康兄弟姐妹这一关键父母角色的重要性。
