How to help families who experience sibling abuse

The most common cause of sibling abuse is when one child feels like they have no power in their life. This can result in power struggles between children who are not very mature or have mental health problems, explains counselor Dr. Robert Turner.

Another common cause of sibling abuse is when one child bullies another. A child can also bully a younger sibling without being picked on by the older sibling first. A bully does not need to be physically stronger than their victim; psychological bullying is just as hurtful.

How you approach the child who has been abusing their sibling will affect how your help is received since many bullies are not ready to stop their behavior even if they don't like it. If you try to force them to stop what they are doing, it can worsen the situation. Instead, you should encourage the bully's parents to talk with their child about why they are doing this. Encouraging them to solve the problem as a family also helps.

When you talk to a child who has been abused, it's important to recognize that some children feel responsible for what happened. Dr. Robert Turner notes that a common reason for this feeling is if the child could not stop their sibling from hurting them.

One significant aspect of counseling for families who have experienced sibling abuse is ensuring everyone knows what healthy behavior looks like. This also lets them know the difference between normal childhood disputes and behavior that needs to be changed.

Counseling for siblings who have been abused should focus on finding ways to get along better without someone being a victim. This can include family counseling and play therapy, which encourages children to express themselves through art.

Furthermore, Dr. Robert Turner explains that if an older child is bullying a younger one, the treatment method used in family counseling may be different from that of sibling abuse. For example, the counselor may have the older sibling play games to win but not hurt another child. This helps the older child learn that there are other ways of asserting control over their environment besides being hurtful.