Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Siblings of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in a Tertiary Child Psychiatry Setting in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Siblings of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may experience emotional and behavioral difficulties. Shared genetic and environmental factors, family stress, caregiving demands, and potentially unequal parental attention may contribute to these difficulties. However, the mental health needs of these siblings may be overlooked.

METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive study included 95 siblings aged 4-17 years of children with ADHD attending the Department of Psychiatry, BSMMU. Sociodemographic information was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Emotional and behavioral difficulties were assessed using the Bangla parent-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); a self-report SDQ was additionally collected from siblings aged 11-17 years. Categorical associations were examined using chi-square tests, and findings involving small subgroup frequencies were interpreted cautiously.

RESULTS

The mean age of siblings was 7.21 ± 3.01 years; 72.6% were male and 77.9% lived in nuclear families. Abnormal SDQ scores were identified for emotional problems in three siblings (3.2%), conduct problems in 11 siblings (11.6%), hyperactivity problems in seven siblings (7.4%), peer problems in 12 siblings (12.6%), and prosocial-behavior problems in two siblings (2.1%).

CONCLUSION

Abnormal SDQ scores were identified in a proportion of siblings of children with ADHD attending this tertiary-care setting. These findings suggest that clinicians may consider asking about sibling wellbeing during family assessment. Larger multicenter studies with appropriate comparison groups are needed to clarify the extent of these difficulties and to determine whether routine sibling-focused screening should be incorporated into ADHD care.