Crossing the Great Divide: Predicting Productive Engagement for Young Women with Disabilities

Abstract

Recent research suggests that young women with disabilities are less likely then young men to be engaged productively in postschool employment and education activities. This study explored factors associated with better employment and education outcomes for both young women and young men with disabilities, and factors associated uniquely with better outcomes for young women. Findings indicated that three factors predicted better outcomes for both young women and young men with disabilities: student self-esteem at time of exit from school, continuing instructional needs in personal-social skills, and continuing instructional needs in vocational skills. Three variables predicted productive engagement for the young women with disabilities in our study. Young women who experienced early parenting responsibilities or who came from a family with a low annual household income were less likely to be engaged in productive work and education activities. Young women with disabilities were more likely to be productively engaged when these young women and their parents agreed on the student's postschool work and education goals. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.