This study aimed to explore the psychological experiences of adolescent siblings of children with disabilities (commonly referred to as "Angel Children") and to examine the predictive factors of their perceived social recognition and acceptance. This research adopted a secondary data analysis approach based on data collected by the Angel Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation in Taiwan. The participants were adolescents aged 13 or older who were capable of self-expression and biologically related to a child with disabilities. A total of 508 valid responses were analyzed. The study utilized two subscales: caregiving burden and social isolation, and family support and perceived attention. Both subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α ranged from .82 to .86). Principal component analysis extracted two factors that reflected key dimensions of siblings’ psychological experiences. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive relationship between family support and perceived social recognition and acceptance (r = .294, p < .001). Hierarchical regression showed that, after controlling for religious belief, gender, and age, family support significantly predicted perceived social recognition and acceptance (ΔR² = .074, p < .001), with a total explanatory power of 17.4%. The findings highlight the pivotal role of emotional support and fairness within the family in shaping siblings’ social adaptation. It is recommended that future interventions adopt a family systems perspective to develop targeted support services for siblings.

Authors:
Jia Ming Chang, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Chang Chia-ming is a doctoral candidate at the Graduate Institute of Special Education, National Taiwan Normal University.

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