Submitted by la334 on Fri, 16/05/2025 - 10:17
We’re proud to highlight the important work of Irena Tetkovic, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Psychiatry, tackling a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention—how young people are affected when a brother or sister has a mental health condition.
Through a recent systematic review, Irena explored what support currently exists for these siblings. The findings were eye-opening: only four studies worldwide had looked at this, with mixed results. While sibling support groups showed some promise, other interventions, like family-based treatments for eating disorders, often overlooked the needs of siblings, and in some cases, even had negative impacts.
Irena’s research is part of her wider project, Sibwell, which aims to understand what helps some young people cope better than others in these challenging family situations. Her work lays the groundwork for better, more inclusive support systems that consider the whole family, not just the person receiving treatment.
This kind of research is exactly why we’re so proud of our PhD students. They’re not only contributing to the field—they’re changing lives.
Read Irena's blog post here>>
Read Irena's research paper here>>
Irena Tetkovic
PhD Student, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge
Irena Tetkovic is a PhD student at the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychiatry. Her research focuses on the mental health and well-being of young people who have siblings with mental health conditions. Through her project, Sibwell aims to understand the unique challenges these siblings face and to inform the development of effective support strategies.
Her recent systematic review highlighted a significant gap in research and interventions tailored for siblings of individuals with mental health conditions. The study found that while sibling support groups show promise, overall, there is a lack of robust evidence guiding best practices in this area.
Irena's work is supported by the Friends of Peterhouse PhD Scholarship and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research. She is also affiliated with the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England.