Seeing strengths: Young adults and their siblings with autism or intellectual disability.
Erik W Carter, Mary E Carlton, Hilary E Travers
PMID 31919930WHAT IT FOUND
Siblings of young adults with autism or intellectual disability rated their brothers and sisters as having a median of 21 distinct character strengths.
Kindness, caring, and humor were the most frequently cited, challenging the assumption that these individuals are defined primarily by deficits.
Key findings
01Siblings rated their brothers and sisters very highly on character strengths, with a median of 21 strengths attributed to each individual.
02The most highly rated strengths were kindness, caring for others, and a sense of humor.
03Ratings of strengths were lower for individuals with autism, more frequent challenging behaviors, or non-verbal communication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study relied on a single closed-ended measure (ASPeCT-DD) which may miss strengths captured by other methods or qualitative interviews. Recruitment occurred primarily through disability organizations, meaning the views of siblings not connected to these groups are not represented. The sample was limited to siblings aged 18 to 30, so it does not reflect the perspectives of older or younger siblings. The study is cross-sectional and cannot determine causality for why certain factors (like living apart) were associated with higher strength ratings.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lower strength ratings for individuals with autism or challenging behaviors as evidence that these individuals lack strengths. The authors suggest these factors may act as proxies for disability severity, potentially limiting opportunities for the individual to demonstrate or communicate their strengths to others, rather than indicating an absence of character traits.