The Texas Sibling Network (TSN) is a part of the Texas Center for Disability Studies (TCDS). Learn more about the TSN and the TCDS through their website here: The experience of being a sibling to someone with a disability is not a one size fits all. At the Texas Sibling Network we have sib-in-laws, nieces, and even parents who identify as siblings. Some of us are older siblings, some of us younger. Others have siblings who have been adopted or have passed away. Within our community we have a diverse range of ages, cultural backgrounds, and identities. Together these differences make our Network a unique place to gain support for siblings with different identities.
There isn’t much research being done into diverse sibling experiences. Most of the research is done with small sample sizes but some interesting themes have come up in the research. A research study by Lobato et al found that Latinx sibling’s daily activities are highly intertwined and sibling caretaking and companionship is idealized. Additionally Latinx siblings are at greater risk for psychological disorders and greater impairment in personal and school functioning. What does this research mean for siblings who identify as Latinx? Siblings may faced increased pressure to be caregivers for their siblings such as a latinx sibling who shared her experience with us. She told TSN she knew she would someday take care of her sibling.Her family was very important and that even after her mother’s death her aunts, uncles and neighbors continued to take care of her brother. However there is a difference between herself and her younger sister who has lived in the States longer and tends to be more independent.
Many siblings are apart of what is called the sandwich generation. They are caring for their aging parents, their siblings, and their own children. This is found across cultures but the pressure may be felt more acutely in cultures where multigenerational households are common. For many siblings there is pressure to keep their brothers or sisters out of residential facilities and living in the family home which may not always be feasible. This also impacts finding a partner and other aspects of creating a family. One of our siblings who is south asian said “Going into my years when I had to find a life partner the priority was to find a partner who appreciate and share the responsibility of taking care of the sibling in the future. There was always less time for yourself and your needs when you have a sibling with disability.”
For siblings with diverse needs it is important for us to open up the conversation with them. As every sibling experience is unique the sibling is the best guide of what their cultural and diverse needs are. Everyone has their own story to tell and their own way to tell it!
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