Guided by a prosocial behavior theoretical framework, this dissertation seeks to understand how prosocial behavior and family factors influence typically developing siblings’ (TDS) of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) intentions to provide care to their sibling with ASD in the future. Study One included a sample of 246 emerging adult TDS and investigated the longitudinal, bidirectional associations between TDS-mother relationship quality and TDS caregiving intentions. The results of a Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model revealed no significant associations between TDS-mother relationship quality and TDS caregiving intentions. Study Two included a sample of 48 adolescent TDS and their mothers. Study Two investigated the associations between TDS prosocial behavior directed towards the mother and TDS caregiving intentions, TDS-sibling with ASD relationship quality and TDS caregiving intentions, as well as the moderating effects of mothers’ expectations for TDS caregiving. The results of regression analyses revealed that better TDS-sibling relationship quality was associated with higher TDS caregiving intentions. Taken together, the results underscore the salience of the TDS-sibling relationship for TDS caregiving intentions.
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