Abstract
Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of an Adolescent with a Disabled Sibling: Qualitative Analysis
Author(s): Gulay Manav, Gonca K Muslu, Gulay Bas RN and Pelin Uymaz*Purpose: The management of a stressor such as disability and the way adolescents participate in the process are effective in the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors of adolescents. The research aims to define healthy lifestyle behaviors of adolescents siblings of children with disabilities.
Design and methods: The phenomenological type of research was conducted with adolescent siblings of children with disabilities from February to June 2021. The sample was selected by the snowball method. Data were collected by individual in-depth interview technique. Interpretive analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. The data were evaluated according to the method by two independent experts. A consensus was reached by the expert and the researcher in expressing the themes. Themes were named in line with the researcher's vision and mission.
Results: Five main themes were reached. These are acquiring a caregiver role in the sibling, unconditional family love, creating a need area in family love, loneliness, healthy life activities for acceptable physical development.
Practice implications: This research highlights the assumption that the presence of a disabled sibling affects family processes. Changes in family processes may affect the development of the disabled sibling, as well as affect both healthy lifestyle behaviors and the development of healthy adolescents. In order to increase the gains of healthy lifestyle behaviors of adolescents, adolescents and parents can be supported with education and the necessity of increasing the interaction between disabled siblings and adolescents can be prioritized.