Objective This research aimed to provide new knowledge about the emotional experiences of siblings of children with rare disorders. Methods Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted based on videotapes of 11 support groups for 58 siblings aged 7–17 years (M_age = 11.4 years, SD = 2.4) of children with rare disorders. Results Participants described contradictory emotions in three main contexts: (1) implications of the disorder (knowledge, medical issues, prognosis); (2) consequences for family life (practical implications, limitations of the child with disorder, perspectives on the sibling relationship); and (3) consequences for social life (reflections about (ab)normality, reactions from others). Passive coping strategies were frequently described relative to active coping strategies. An emerging dilemma for participants was hiding versus sharing emotional experiences. Conclusions Siblings’ emotional experiences are characterized by diverse and contradictory feelings. Interventions to promote emotional health in siblings of children with rare disorder should address this complexity.

Background: This systematic review addresses how adolescent‐rated parent‐child communication (PCC) quality is related to adolescent mental health.Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in Medline and APA PsycInfo, including peer‐reviewed quantitative studies examining associations between adolescent‐rated dyadic PCC quality and general as well as specific measures of adolescent mental health. Qualitative and case studies were excluded, as were studies reporting only parent‐rated communication quality or instruments assessing other constructs than dyadic PCC. We screened 5314 articles, of which 37 were included in the review. We assessed study quality with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.Results: We synthesized the findings in a table and narratively, reporting the main outcomes organized according to mental health constructs. The included studies were mainly cross‐sectional. The results showed that adolescent‐rated PCC quality is negatively associated with mental health constructs, demonstrating small to large effects across different mental health constructs and populations. The associations were found for general mental health and specific domains, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, suicidal ideation, post‐traumatic stress symptoms, and addictive internet use/gaming.Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that PCC is a relevant variable to consider in assessing adolescent mental health and preventive efforts. Limitations include the exclusive focus on adolescent‐reported PCC questionnaires since parent‐ and observer‐rated instruments may lead to different results. Also, PCC is related to other constructs, such as dyadic relationships, that were not included in this review. We conclude that PCC is a relevant variable to consider in mental health research. Our findings suggest that PCC may be considered in mental health practice, both in terms of assessing its quality and potentially by tailoring interventions to enhance PCC. These may represent a mean to promote adolescent mental health.

Siblings of children with chronic disorders are at increased risk of experiencing family communication problems and poorer mental health. We assessed initial feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes of SIBS; a manual-based group intervention for siblings and parents of children with chronic disorders, aiming to improve parent-sibling communication and sibling mental health. Ninety-nine siblings aged 8–16 years (M = 11.5 years,SD = 2.0; 54.5% girls) and parents (63.6% mothers) of children with chronic disorders participated in three separate group sessions for siblings and parents and two joint sessions with integrated sibling-parent dialogues. We assessed participant satisfaction post-intervention and checked for group leader manual adherence. We measured the following outcomes at baseline, three, and six months post-intervention in an open trial: (1) parent-sibling communication quality; (2) sibling emotional and behavioral problems; (3) sibling adaptation to the disorder; and (4) sibling disorder knowledge. Using growth curve modeling, we found significant improvement in parent-sibling communication quality (p = 0.001), emotional and behavioral problems (p = 0.009), adaptation to the disorder (p = 0.003), and disorder knowledge (p = 0.000) from baseline to follow-up (effect sizesd = 0.22 to 0.64). Improvement in sibling-reported emotional and behavioral problems and adaptation to the disorder was partly explained by communication quality. User satisfaction was high and manual adherence was good. Our evaluation yields support for the SIBS intervention, with initial evidence of acceptability, feasibility, and beneficial outcomes. Our study suggests targeting parent-sibling communication may be a beneficial way of improving siblings’ mental health.

Parent–child communication represents an important variable in clinical child and family psychology due to its association with a variety of psychosocial outcomes. To give an overview of instruments designed to measure the quality of parent–child communication from the child’s (8–21 years) perspective and to assess the psychometric quality of these instruments, we performed a systematic literature search in Medline and PsycInfo (last: February 25, 2022). Peer-reviewed journal articles published in English with a child-rated instrument measuring the quality of parent–child communication were included. Initial screening for eligibility and inclusion, subsequent data extraction, and quality assessment were conducted by couples of review team members. Based on the screening of 5115 articles, 106 studies reported in 126 papers were included. We identified 12 parent–child communication instruments across the studies. The Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (PACS) was used in 75% of the studies. On average, the evidence for psychometric quality of the instruments was low. Few instruments were used in clinical and at-risk samples. Several instruments are available to rate parent–child communication from the child’s perspective. However, their psychometric evidence is limited and the theoretical foundation is largely undocumented. This review has limitations with regard to selection criteria and language bias.RegistrationPROSPERO: CRD42021255264.

Fathers in families with childhood disability have an important role in fostering coping and resilience in children. Insight into men’s thoughts about fathering is necessary to provide family-centered interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore men’s experience of being a father in families with childhood disability. Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven fathers in families with childhood disability. Content analysis was applied to analyze the data. The participants described their thoughts about children’s needs; mastery, secure attachment, clear boundaries, positive emotions, and role models. Creating a father-child unity, being active, playful, fearless, and sometimes restraint was described as fathering behaviors aiming to meet these needs. However, personal, family, and social factors were described as influencing fathers’ behaviors. Fathers’ psychological wellbeing was described to be affected by the childhood disability to different degrees, and emotional triggers related to the disability were described. Participants described using a variety of emotion regulation strategies, but somewhat restraint support seeking behavior. We conclude that the health and social welfare system should involve fathers in the provision of services to children, empower them in their role as fathers, and provide support tailored to their needs.