Postschool Goal Expectations for Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Developmental Psychology
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• Understanding postsecondary expectations is crucial for supporting youth with disabilities.
• Previous research indicates disparities in transition outcomes for various disability groups.
• The National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 provides a robust dataset for examining these expectations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate parent and youth expectations regarding postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and financial independence.
• To compare expectations between youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and youth with other disabilities.
• To identify factors associated with parent and youth expectations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012.
• Analyzed parent and youth self-reported expectations across four key postschool domains.
• Employed statistical methods to examine associations between youth characteristics and expectations.

Main Results:

• Youth with IDD and their parents reported significantly lower expectations compared to youth with other disabilities.
• Parent expectations were consistently lower than the expectations reported by youth with IDD.
• Youth's race, daily living skills, and functional abilities were positively linked to higher expectations.

Conclusions:

• Youth with IDD face unique challenges in setting and achieving ambitious postsecondary goals.
• A significant gap exists between parent and youth expectations, particularly for those with IDD.
• Interventions should focus on enhancing daily living skills and functional abilities to improve transition outcomes for IDD youth.