Binding ties: the roles of adult siblings of persons with mental retardation.

Current relationship patterns and future role expectations of 140 adult siblings of a brother or sister with mental retardation still living in the parental home were examined. Results showed that siblings maintained regular and personal contact, provided emotional support, and felt knowledgeable about the varied needs of their brother or sister with mental retardation. Of the siblings who had firm plans for the future, 36% intended to co-reside with their brother or sister with mental retardation, whereas 64% intended to live apart. Factors differentiating groups included gender (of both the sibling and the brother or sister with retardation), mother's health, level of mental retardation, and frequency of activities shared by the siblings during the past year.