Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Volunteering among youth with disabilities: a population-based study
Myriam Casseus1, JenFu Cheng2,3,4, James M Cooney5
1Research Center, Children's Specialized Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Purpose:
The benefits of volunteering among youth are well documented. However, research is limited on volunteering among youth with disabilities. This study examined prevalence and associations of volunteering among youth with disabilities.
Methods:
We analyzed data from the 2016-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (n= 42 204). Prevalence estimates were calculated for sociodemographic and household factors, volunteering, and functional limitations. Bivariate and multivariable associations between participation in volunteering activities and variables of interest were assessed.
Results:
Youth with disabilities had lower prevalence of volunteering compared to youth without disabilities (48.4% vs. 55.6%). Youth with hearing and vision impairments had the lowest prevalence of volunteering (2.1% and 2.5%, respectively). Correlates of volunteering included health status (adjusted odds ratios (aOR)=1.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-2.91), sex, and age.
Conclusions:
Our study found low prevalence of volunteering among youth with disabilities. Since youth with disabilities face unique barriers to social inclusion, it is important to identify and reduce the barriers to participation among this group. Volunteer opportunities in the community should be designed to be both environmentally and programmatically accessible to youth with disabilities. These efforts should include accommodations and other support so that participants can fully experience all of the benefits of volunteering.Implications for rehabilitationOur multiyear nationally representative study found low prevalence of volunteering among youth with disabilities, particularly those with hearing and vision impairments.Since youth with disabilities face unique barriers to social inclusion, it is important to identify and reduce the barriers to participation among this group.Our findings support the need for environmentally and programmatically accessible volunteering opportunities for youth with disabilities.These efforts should include accommodations and other support so that participants can fully experience all of the benefits of volunteering.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Intellectual Disability
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Cross-Sectional Research
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...

