BYU Nursing Lab Supports Siblings of Children with Chronic Illness
From her earliest research as a graduate student at Brigham Young University, Dr. Christine Platt (MS ’14) has shown a deep commitment to supporting families that are raising children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Her master’s the-sis revealed that sibling relationships have a critical influence on emotional and behavioral outcomes. She has since focused her career on caregiver supports—including in adoptive and foster families.
Now an assistant professor of nursing and the director of the Family Compassion and Care Lab at BYU, Dr. Platt leads research on family resilience. In a recent study with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, she investigated an online behavioral intervention system designed to strengthen relationships and increase hardiness within foster and adoptive families. Grounded in trust-based relational principles, the intervention equipped caregivers and siblings with the tools to nurture secure attachments, reduce stress, and navigate behavioral challenges associated with trauma and chronic illness. “Siblings in the home are not just bystanders,” Dr. Platt explains. “They are co-caregivers, emotional anchors, and often the overlooked glue holding families together.”
With help from undergraduate research assistants Annie Oman Lavering, Emily Keeler, and Nicole Strand Scheurman (BS ’24), Dr. Platt presented findings from two sibling-focused studies at the 2024 Sigma Theta Tau International Congress in Singapore. These presentations emphasized the meaningful roles siblings play and the support they need to thrive. Annie shared how the experience boosted her confidence in analyzing data and communicating findings, while Emily connected the research to her own family experience: “I have a cousin who has cerebral palsy, and I have watched her younger sister take on the responsibility of caring for her. When I saw that Dr. Platt was hiring for this project, I knew I wanted to help.”
Looking ahead, the lab plans to offer CPR and first aid training and certification to foster families—including siblings—and expand similar training to orphanages and kinship care providers in Ghana. Collaborations with international nursing and public health leaders are underway to make this possible.
The lab is also working with the BYU Economics Department and Dr. Brennan Platt (husband of Dr. Platt) on a foster care policy database to help identify laws and placement practices that lead to better health and economic outcomes for children in out-of-home care.
Built on rigorous methodology and collaboration, the Family Compassion and Care Lab remains focused on its mission: strengthening families by supporting and advocating for all caregivers, regardless of age or geography.