Abstract
Mental illness has significant implications for both the individual and their family, yet
siblings are largely unacknowledged and underrepresented within both academic literature and
mental health services. This thesis sought to draw together research exploring the experiences
of siblings of people with mental illness, with the intention of identifying the unique strengths,
resiliencies, and support needs of this population. Part A of this portfolio presents a systematic
literature review and reflexive thematic synthesis of the experiences of siblings of people with
a diagnosed mental illness. The findings of this review indicate that siblings experience both
unique challenges and growth through adversity in the face of the illness, yet are largely
unacknowledged within services. Recommendations are made regarding the need for siblings
to be recognised as carers, and for opportunities to access psychoeducation, connection with
other sibling carers, and meaning making conversations to be made available to them. Part B
presents an empirical paper that utilised qualitative methods, namely reflexive thematic
analysis and timelining, to explore the experiences of emerging adult (EA) siblings of people
with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN). The findings suggested that EA siblings are often
overlooked within the family and by services, and the developmentally normative move
towards independence is catalysed by the emergence of AN within the family, with significant
implications for their wellbeing and identity development. The need for family focused
interventions that invite sibling involvement and take account of EAs’ developmental tasks and
the family’s position in the lifecycle is discussed, and resiliencies of EAs are explored through
the lens of post-traumatic growth.