SibLink Evaluations

Individual evaluations assess siblings' understanding and adjustment to a brother/sister's illness or disability. Evaluations involve interviews and questionnaires completed by siblings and their parents. Feedback is provided to each family and recommendations are offered to address each child's needs.

Each child enrolled in a SibLink group receives an individual, comprehensive evaluation before the workshops begin and after the workshops have ended. These evaluations are designed to provide individual information about each child and family so that group activities can address both individual and group needs. Follow-up evaluations are conducted in order to assess the impact of the group on siblings and to give individual feedback to families about their child's participation in the group. The evaluation process allows us to renew and improve the program based on experiences of real kids and families.

During a SibLink evaluation, parents and siblings will provide information valuable in assessing the following important areas:

• Sibling understanding of the child's illness or disability
• Sibling emotional and behavioral functioning
• Feelings and thoughts about family relationships and experiences
• Family functioning

All evaluations are conducted on an individual basis and are scheduled at mutual convenience at Rhode Island Hospital's department of child and adolescent psychiatry. Evaluations require approximately one hour at the hospital. The fees for evaluations are billable to insurance under the mental health benefit.