Abstract
This article is based on longitudinal prospective life-course data (1995–2007) about Special Educational Need (SEN) students in upper secondary school, addressing changes in these vulnerable persons’ (N=372) spare time-related social relationships at age 29 compared to five years earlier. Logistic regression analyses show that experiences of exclusion (being solely in special class) during upper secondary school have a marked negative effect on being in a small and potentially isolating social network at age 24 compared with the variables personal diagnostic characteristics and experienced psychosocial stress in the family. Applying the same explanatory model to the adaptive situation at age 29 reveals very different results: time distant variables (special class, personal characteristics at school start) loose effect. Contemporary independent variables describing a contextually changed life situation produces patterns of social integration, reducing social marginalization. The results suggest that a shif...
Highlights
In Norway, more than 96% of students leaving lower secondary school in the spring of a particular year begin upper secondary education in the autumn, and, through an extensive institutionalization, the complete age cohort continues in the comprehensive school up to the age of 20
Our aim was to study the changes in the distribution of social adaptive situations for vulnerable young adults in their late twenties, compared with the situation when they were in their early twenties
The results reveal that changed life-situation factors in adulthood have a resilient impact on individuals’ patterns of social integration/ marginalization
Summary
In Norway, more than 96% of students leaving lower secondary school in the spring of a particular year begin upper secondary education in the autumn, and, through an extensive institutionalization, the complete age cohort continues in the comprehensive school up to the age of 20. School has become a meeting place for all youth, including vulnerable youth who are at risk for later developmental challenges. 10% of the national age cohort is considered to require special education. This longitudinal study addresses this group, and we refer to this group as vulnerable youth because characteristics of their special educational needs and the special educational provision of measures they experience may produce a school situation with risk of disqualifications for adult life
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