nfralick
Wed, 07/31/2024 - 21:52
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Promoting Well-being in Siblings
of the Autistic Using Art Therapy:
Curriculum for Siblings of
Autistic Individuals
Presented by: Kimberly A. Irwin
Pennsylvania Western University
Professor Treadon

Purpose statement
This research and curriculum aims to promote
overall well-being by building resilience,
providing social support, and bearing witness
to the unique struggles experienced by siblings
of the autistic.

Justification
• What is autism?

• Rise in numbers of children diagnosed

• Autism impacts the entire family
• Sibling relationships are significantly impacted

• Nature of autism has specific impacts on the relationship
• 2.8 times more likely to have significant “problem” behaviors (Goudie et
al., 2013)

Justification
• How autism can affect a sibling





Internalizing difficulties
Negative affects
Positive affects
Changes the adult sibling relationship
• 73% of siblings become primary caregivers to their disabled sibling (Coffman et al.,
2021)

• Need for interventions designed specifically for this population

Terms
• Art therapy
• Autism
• Neurodivergent
• Neurotypical
• Sibling
• Well-being

Literature review: Theories
• Humanism

• “Being-in-the-world-with-others” (Schneider et al., 2015, p.229)

• Person-Centered Approach
• Positive Psychology
• Family Systems Theory
• DIR/Floortime

Literature review: Sibling relationships
• One of the most enduring of relationships
• Often the most developmentally similar family member
• Siblings of the disabled
• Glass children (Hanvey et al., 2022)

• Adult siblings of the disabled
• Siblings of the autistic





Specific profiles affect the relationship differently
Evidence is inconclusive for either positive or negative outcomes
Gender combination affects the relationship
Cultural differences

Literature review: Art therapy
• Art therapy with siblings

• Kang & Baek’s (2021) nature-based art therapy with siblings of the
disabled.
• Wallace et al., (2014) focused on siblings of pediatric hematopoietic
stem cell transplant patients.

• Art therapy and wellness

• Darewych & Reidel (2018) noted that creative activities can be healing
• Kim et al., (2014) noted the benefits of group art therapy

Curriculum
All artwork shown in this presentation is used for
educational purposes, with the consent of the participant.

Purpose of this group

Aid siblings of the autistic in developing coping
skills, an opportunity to process complicated
emotions, and to increase acceptance of self and
sibling

Methodology

• Modeled after Sibshops, created by Don Meyer
• Target audience
• Siblings of the autistic, aged 8-12

• Facilitated by a master’s level art therapist

Curriculum overview

• 8 Weekly sessions over an 8-10 week period
• The duration of each session lasts 50 minutes
• The curriculum should be delivered in a closed-group format with
a group size limited to 6 individuals (8 for older groups of siblings)
• Each week follows a theme and offers two interventions

Session structure
• Mini mandala check-in (5 Minutes)
• Introduction to topic (2-3 Minutes)
• Art therapy intervention (20-30 Minutes)
• Discussion (10-15 Minutes)
• Clean-up (5 Minutes)

Mini mandala check-in
• Each session begins with a mini
mandala.
• Each mandala is added to a
keyring
• During the last session we will
make a book which will include
pieces of photocopies from each
group member’s mandalas.

Week 1
Theme: Introductions and personal strengths
• Self portrait: Using face shapes provided create a self-portrait
that reflects you. It can be a literal depiction or how you wish to be
seen.
• Self-symbol: Create a symbol to represent you, it can be shapes,
lines, color, or a combination of all three.
• Cut out the portrait/symbol and glue it to your mandala, add
contact paper, and then put it on your keyring.

Examples: Week 1

Week 2
Theme: Joys and concerns
• Group puzzle

• Work in groups of 2-3, talk about your experience.
• Identify 3 positive and 3 struggles

• Choose 1 piece of torn paper from each pile

• Depict a positive experience on one piece and a negative experience on the other

• As a group, reassemble the pieces, like a puzzle

Example: Week 2

Sibling Feelings Wheel Assessment

Sibling Feelings Wheel Assessment examples

Week 3
Theme: Coping; Points of satisfaction
• Feelings box (adapted from hope4hurtingkids.com)





Select a box and decorate it in a way that allows it to hold strong feelings
Fill the box with paper
Add paper towel role to the top
Use it as a place to scream, complain, or hold your big feelings

• Memory box

• Decorate a box in a way that honor your relationship with your sibling
• Write or draw about your favorite memories together; store them inside.
• Add to the box and revisit it

Example: Week 3

Week 4
Theme: Same but different; Increased attunement
• Same but different sculpture

• Familiarize yourself with the clay
• Create 2 basic shapes. One to represent you and one for your sibling
• Add shapes and patterns to each shape to represent the ways you are
similar and different from your sibling.

• These eyes sculpture

• Create 2 balls of clay to represent eyes
• Create patterns, add shapes, or alter the balls to represent how you are
able to see the world differently due to your unique life experience.

Example: Week 4

Week 5
Theme: Handling tough situations;Feelings of pride
• Bilateral drawing

• Thinking about the feelings we just discussed, place a mark making item
in both each hand, one hand working on each side of the sketchbook.
• Make shapes simultaneously on the surface to show how those feelings
feel inside your body.

• Free draw your feelings

• Thinking about the feelings we just discussed, draw a quick picture of
something that brings about those feelings or helps you to resolve them.

Example: Week 5

Week 6
Theme: Invisibility; Helping behaviors
• Very visible crown

• Create a crown using the materials provided
• Make it as special as you are and wear it with pride so the world takes
notice

• Power mask

• Create a mask that reminds you of your power, your helping abilities, and
the value of just being you.

Example: Week 6

Week 7
Theme: Future thinking; Caretaking roles
• Nest

• Create a nest of yarn and thread wrapped around an embroidery hoop
• Choose pieces of colored paper to represent you and your sibling.
• Write down your dreams on one color and dreams you have for your
sibling on the other
• Attach them to the nest

• 10 or 20 years from now diorama

• Using the box provided create a scene that shows your relationship with
sibling in 10 or 20 years time.
• Include a small sculpture to represent you and your sibling. Place them
within the scene.

Example: Week 7

Week 8
Theme: Togetherness; Termination
• Book making

• Using the photocopies of your mandalas, cut them into small shapes and
share with the other participants.
• Move about the room talking with one another and choosing pieces of
each others art work to keep for yourself.
• Create a book using the squares provided. Glue one side with mod-podge.
• Once it dries add a piece of duct tape to the edge to bind it.
• Create cover art
• Add mandala pieces to the empty pages

Example: Week 8

Limitations
• Many factors affect a sibling’s mental health
• The curriculum has not been formally tested
• Neurotype of sibling participating

Areas for future research

• Testing this curriculum
• The effects of gender, birth order, gender combinations, and agerelated differences
• Cultural differences of the perception of autism

Final thoughts
• Experience using this curriculum
• Necessity to serve the sibling population
• My hope for this curriculum…

Thank you!

Questions?

References
Coffman, M. C., Kelso, N., Antezana, L., Braconnier, M., Richey, J. A., & Wolf, J. (2021).Understanding of ASD by siblings is associated with warmth
and hostility in the sibling relationship. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30(6), 1577–1585.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-02101945-z
Darewych, O. H., & Bowers, N. R., (2017). Positive arts interventions: Creative clinical toolspromoting psychological well-being. International
Journal of Art Therapy, 23(2), 62–69.https://doi.org/10.1080/17454832.2017.1378241
Goudie, A., Havercamp, S., Jamieson, B., & Sahr, T. (2013). Assessing functional impairment insiblings living with children with disability.
Pediatrics, 132(2).https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0644
Hanvey, I., Malovic, A., & Ntontis, E. (2022). Glass children: The lived experiences of siblings of people with a disability or chronic illness. Journal of
Community & Applied SocialPsychology, 32(5), 936–948. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2602
Kang, S.-J., Kim, H.-S., & Baek, K.-H. (2021). Effects of nature-based group art therapyprograms on stress, self-esteem and changes in
electroencephalogram (EEG) in non-disabled siblings of children with disabilities. International Journal of EnvironmentalResearch
and Public Health, 18(11), 5912. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115912
Kim, S., Kim, G., & Ki, J. (2014). Effects of group art therapy combined with breath meditation on the subjective well-being of depressed and
anxious adolescents. The Arts inPsychotherapy, 41(5), 519–526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.10.002
Meyer, D. J., & Vadasy, P. (2008). Sibshops: Workshops for siblings of children with special needs. Brookes.
Schneider, K. J., Pierson, J. F., T., B. J. F., & DeRoberts, E. M. (2015). Toward a humanistic-multicultural model of development. In The Handbook of
Humanistic Psychology: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 227–242). Chapter 17, Sage.
Using a scream box to alleviate anger, fear and stress. Hope 4 Hurting Kids. (2018, June 19). https://hope4hurtingkids.com/emotions/copingskills/scream-box/
Wallace, J., Packman, W., Huffman, L.C., Horn, B., Cowan, M., Amylon, M.D., Kahn, C., Cordova, M., & Moses, J. (2014). Psychological changes
associated with participants in art therapy interventions for sibling of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant participants. Art
Therapy, 31(1), 4-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2014.873685