Results of a national follow-up study of young adults with severe disabilities

Abstract

The National Transition Study of Individuals with Severe Disabilities Leaving School (NTSSD) investigated the status and community adjustment of 398 young adults with severe disabilities from across five states representative of the four US Census Bureau regions: Northeast, North Central, South, and West. Subjects in this study had been out of high school from 1 to 4 years in 1993. Data collection instruments included a 100-item post-school outcome survey and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) (Bruin inks et al., 1986). Results are reported in terms of subjects' school experiences/completion, employment and daytime activities, current living arrangements, family and friends, community involvement, financial independence, personal choice, family needs and support, and waiting for services. In addition to the descriptive findings, group comparisons were made on selected variables, examining whether there were significant differences associated with gender, level of mental retardation, years out of school, and community size.