Dilemmas faced by families during their young adults' transitions to adulthood: a brief report

The period of transition from mandated school services with expectations for parental involvement to the often bewildering world of adult services can seem fraught with risk for families of young adults with developmental disabilities. Parental control and involvement is expected to diminish during this period when reality suggests a greater reliance on parental resources. Such expectations can produce dilemmas for parents when decisions present conflicting choices with equally problematic outcomes for the family. A questionnaire was designed to determine which potential dilemmas were most significant for families. Meaningful support for families requires knowledge of the balancing act families perform with competing demands for their time and energy.