Graduates with Mental Disabilities: The Story Three Years Later

Abstract

This study investigated the adult adjustment of a randomly selected sample of 50% of the graduates with mental disabilities in the Class of 1985 three years after they exited high school in the state of Iowa. This adjustment was compared to their status as adults one year after graduation. Three hundred twenty-two students (85% of those randomly selected) were interviewed three years out of high school; this same number, with 88% overlap in participants, had been interviewed one year out of school. Results are reported in terms of: (a) general status information, such as marital status, living arrangements, sources of income; (b) information about those competitively employed vs. working in sheltered workshops (wages earned, hours worked per week, fringe benefits received); and (c) “successful” adult adjustment relative to criteria presented in this report. Implications are cited for programming and transition planning.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Clark

, Hayden

, & Lezzer

(1987). The effectiveness of special education programs: Rethinking the initiative. Unpublished manuscript, Division of Special Education, Maryland Department of Education, Baltimore.

Edgar

(1987). Secondary programs in special education: Are many of them justifiable? Exceptional Children, 53, 555–561.

Frank

, Sitlington

, Cooper

, & Cool

(1990). Adult adjustment of individuals enrolled in Iowa mental disabilities programs. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 25, 62–75.

Frank

, Sitlington

, & Carson

(1992). Adult adjustment of persons with severe/profound mental disabilities: A longitudinal study. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 4, 37–50.

Halpern

(1990). A methodological review of follow-up and follow-along studies tracking school leavers from special education. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 13(1), 13–27.

Halpern

, & Benz

(1987). A statewide examination of secondary special education for students with mild disabilities: Implications for the high school curriculum. Exceptional Children, 54, 122–129.

Hasazi

, Gordon

, & Roe

(1985). Factors associated with the employment status of handicapped youth exiting high school from 1979 to 1983. Exceptional Children, 51, 455–469.

Hasazi

, Gordon

, Roe

, Hull

, Finck

, & Salembier

(1985). A statewide follow-up on post high school employment and residential status of students labeled “mentally retarded.” Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 20, 222–234.

Mithaug

, Horiuchi

, & Fanning

(1985). A report on the Colorado statewide follow-up survey of special education students. Exceptional Children, 51, 397–404.

10.

Reiss

, Duncan

, Hatt

, & North

(1961). Occupations and social status. New York: Free Press.

11.

Sitlington

, Frank

, & Carson

(1991, October). Iowa Statewide Follow-up Study: Changes in the Adult Adjustment of Graduates with Mental Disabilities One vs. Three Years Out of School. Des Moines: Iowa Department of Education.

12.

Sitlington

, Frank

, & Carson

(1993). Adult adjustment among graduates with mild disabilities. Exceptional Children, 59, 221–233.

13.

SPSS, Inc. (1986). SPSS-X User's Guide (2nd ed.) [Computer program manual]. Chicago: SPSS, Inc.

14.

Valdes

, Williamson

, & Wagner

(1990). The national longitudinal transition study of special education students. Statistical almanac, Volume 5: Youth categorized as mentally retarded. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.