National Longitudinal Transition Study Research Articles

Self-management of daily life tasks in diploma-track youth with disabilities

Purpose Youth with disabilities who graduate with a regular high school diploma often continue to have difficulties in their daily functioning that ultimately impact adulthood outcomes. To better understand these functional difficulties and determine how best to address them, it is important to distinguish deficits in discrete skills from difficulty organizing skills to self-manage complex tasks associated with adult roles. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which challenges in social, executive function and behavior management factors relate to these two aspects of daily functioning. Methods This is a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 funded by the United States Department of Education. The direct and indirect associations between youth underlying factors and self-management of daily life tasks (SMDLT) versus discrete functional skills were modelled using structural equation modelling. Results A model incorporating social skills, communication, and behavior regulation explained 55% of the variance in SMDLT. In contrast, the model predicting discrete functional skills had fewer significant associations and described less variance (37%) in the outcome. Conclusions Findings suggest that using measures of SMDLT and designing targeted interventions for SMDLT might help improve participation in independent living and productivity for diploma-track youth with disabilities. Implications for rehabilitation Successful transition from high school to adult roles requires the ability to self-manage the daily life tasks required for those roles, such as employment, post-secondary education, and independent living. The ability to self-manage daily tasks is distinct from mastery of discrete functional skills and should be assessed with measures that uniquely examine this domain. Social and communication skills, executive functioning, and behavioral regulation, are important contributors to the ability to self-manage life tasks for diploma-track youth with disabilities and should be incorporated into multifaceted interventions. Interventions to improve self-management of tasks should include teaching strategies and practice coordinating underlying skills in flexible ways that meet the varying demands of tasks and diverse environments.

Digital Citizenship: Technology Access and Use for Youth With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract Technology is integral to the lives of youth who, as digital citizens, use technology to participate in social and civic action to improve their communities. Using a digital citizenship framework and National Longitudinal Transition Study of 2012 data, we explored technology access and use between youth with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We found youth with IDD have less access and less participation across four digital citzienship elements putting them at greater risk for digital social isolation and community disengagment. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, which has thrust employment, school, health, and social lives to online spaces, we situate our findings on digital access, opportunity, and support and call for individual and systems-level investment in digital citizenship to support full participation.

A National View of Transition Planning Participation and Post-School Goals for English Learners with Disabilities

ABSTRACT The increase in English learners (ELs) with disabilities has been reported by others, yet little is known about the transition planning meeting experiences of this population and their post-school expectations. This study explored transition planning experiences and post-school expectations of a nationally representative sample of ELs with disabilities by examining the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 dataset. Results showed that ELs with disabilities were more likely to take a passive role in transition planning and less likely to be involved in developing goals during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition planning meeting. ELs with disabilities, compared to non-ELs with disabilities, had lower expectations for being financially independent by age 30. These findings underscore the importance of specifically addressing the cultural and linguistic needs of ELs with disabilities during the IEP transition planning process and suggest recommendations for educational policy and practice for this population.

An Analysis of Disability Groupings and Transition Planning Experiences

One important aspect of special education research that makes it complex is the variability of the disability categories being studied. This study used the context of Individualized Education Program (IEP)/transition planning and National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) student and parent survey items associated with this context to illustrate the challenges of grouping disability categories. We examined how disability groupings are treated similarly with respect to their transition planning experiences across different survey items. Findings illustrate that the 12 transition-related disability categories can be empirically formed into four clusters according to their IEP/transition planning meeting experiences. Results indicate that regardless of the scale used, these groupings are relatively consistent (e.g., autism, multiple disabilities, and orthopedic impairments were always together), but different from groupings based on theory or another set of items (e.g., self-determination). Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Secondary School-based Interventions and Social Engagement of Deaf Young Adults.

Successful social engagement is one of many important outcomes for deaf youth as they transition from high school to adult life. This study examined the effect of self-advocacy and social/life skill trainings in secondary school settings on social engagement after high school using propensity score modeling and data from the large-scale and nationally representative National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. Analyses focused on three types of post-high school social engagement: frequency of seeing friends, involvement in group activities, and participation in community service. A fourth outcome variable was created to indicate whether the individual was at least minimally engaged. Results found that deaf youth who received self-advocacy training in secondary school were significantly more likely to be at least minimally engaged than those who had not. These findings suggest that self-advocacy training in high school can help protect deaf youth against social isolation in young adulthood.

Patterns of early adult work and postsecondary participation among individuals with high-incidence disabilities: A longitudinal person-centered analysis.

Interest in the pathways young people take from high school to early adulthood indicates that participation in early employment and postsecondary education facilitates long-term independence, agency, and career stability (Eliason et al., 2015; Shanahan et al., 2002). Although many adolescents with disabilities do not participate in these early adult experiences at rates commensurate with their normative peers, the overall structure, timing, and persistence of these patterns is not well understood. The current study analyzes data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) to explore patterns of emerging adult engagement in employment and/or postsecondary school among young adults with high-incidence disabilities across three early adult time points (20 to 25 years old) as well as adolescent precursors to these patterns. The sample was comprised exclusively of youth with disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disability), 32% of participants were students of color, and 23% were from families living below the federal poverty line. Results suggested 3 patterns of adult engagement: dynamically engaged (15%), primarily employed (51%), and primarily unengaged (34%). Student race and disability type were associated with these patterns as were individual skills (e.g., reading, mathematics & social skills), family characteristics (i.e., parent expectations), and school experiences (i.e., peer relationships, extracurricular activities) gathered during high school. These findings shed new light on the patterns of early employment and postsecondary participation among emerging adults with disabilities as well as adolescent predictors of these patterns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring Predictors of Bullying and Victimization of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Findings from NLTS 2012.

Research suggests that bullying victimization occurs at higher rates among students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than among their typically-developing peers. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to explore differences in student and family characteristics between students with ASD and students with all other special education disability categories. The study also examined characteristics serve as predictors of bullying and victimization. Students with ASD were found to have greater difficulties with communication and social skills, as well as less-robust sense of themselves and their abilities than students with all other disabilities. Race, household income, social and communication skills, and self-concept were found to be associated with higher rates of bullying and victimization.

National Picture of the Self-Determination Characteristics of Secondary School English Learners With Disabilities

We examined the self-determination of English learners with disabilities in secondary school, based on a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012). Self-determination characteristics of English learners with disabilities differed significantly from those of other students with disabilities, and of English learner students and students who are not English learners in the general population, including their being less likely to act autonomously or report empowerment-related or self-realization-related behaviors. Multivariate analyses identified several student and family characteristics associated with variations in aspects of self-determination, including age, gender, and postsecondary expectations. Implications for practice and research are discussed, including the importance of considering these factors when selecting, implementing, and evaluating self-determination interventions for English learners with disabilities.

Differences in Self-Determination Across Disability Categories: Findings From National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012

Researchers have established variability in self-determination scores across disability groups, but most nationally representative research has used data collected over a decade ago from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2). To provide an updated analysis of differences in characteristics of self-determination (i.e., autonomy, psychological empowerment, self-realization) across disability groups, this study analyzed data from the recently completed National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS2012). The authors tested measurement equivalence across seven disability groups: high-incidence disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, speech or language impairments, and other health impairments), sensory disabilities (visual and hearing impairment), multiple disabilities (multiple disabilities and deaf-blindness), intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Students in the multiple disabilities, intellectual disability, and ASD groups showed lower self-determination scores compared with other disability groups. Greater variability was also found in scores among these groups. Implications for assessment research practice, and policy are highlighted.

Parents’ Postsecondary Education Expectations for Students with Autism, Intellectual Disability, and Multiple Disabilities: Findings From NLTS 2012

This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to examine predictors at the individual, family, and school levels associated with parental expectations toward postsecondary education among students with significant support needs, including those with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities. Consistent with previous studies, chi-square tests revealed a positive relation between socioeconomic status such as household income or parental education level and parental expectations. Logistic regression analyses showed that whether parents have a college degree and whether students have participated in college entrance or advanced placement tests are factors that are positively associated with parental expectations toward children’s future education.

Exploring Correlates of Paid Early Work Experiences for Youth With Autism Using NLTS2012 Data

Prior research has demonstrated that paid work experience while in school is a predictor of postschool employment outcomes for youth with disabilities. For youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), early paid work experience in high school can provide a place to learn occupational skills as well as develop communication, problem solving and interpersonal skills and behaviors that are essential for obtaining and maintaining employment. In the present study, we examined the extent to which youth with ASD have engaged in early paid work experiences while in school and factors associated with such experiences, using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 . We found that approximately 24.4% of youth with ASD reported having been involved in a paid work experience during high school at some point within the past year. Further, age, social engagement, household income, and parent expectations were significant predictors of early paid work experience. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

IEP/Transition Planning Participation Among Students With the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Findings From NLTS 2012

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) to explore the individualized education program (IEP)/transition planning participation and role of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, compared to students with other disabilities. We viewed students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as those included in three disability categories— autism, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities—who took an alternate assessment. The study also included an analysis of student’s participation in relation to their functional, communication, and self-advocacy skills, and student–teacher relationships. Although students with the most significant cognitive disabilities experienced greater limitations overall, students with other disabilities were experiencing similar challenges. Implications for practice were discussed from the lens of student engagement, self-determination, and student’s leadership role.

Assistive Technology for Students With Disabilities: An Updated Snapshot

Assistive technology can benefit students with disabilities in terms of independence and performance. Yet more research is needed regarding usage of assistive technology. Using the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 database, the authors explored reported use regarding assistive technology by secondary students with disabilities. Overall, the authors found low rates of assistive technology reported use among students with disabilities aggregated, although there were large ranges across disability categories (e.g., 14.5%–74.0% for use of assistive technology). Disability category had a statistically significant relationship with reported assistive technology use for secondary students.

The Importance of Elements of Inclusive Education

The Importance of Elements of Inclusive Education

Parent and Youth Post-School Expectations: Students With Intellectual Disability in Rural Schools

While research exists on parent expectations associated with post-school outcomes of youth with intellectual disability, limited research examines issues of parent—and youth—post-school expectations relative to issues of community, such as living in rural versus urban or suburban settings. Through a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) 2012, we examined parent and youth expectations regarding post-school outcomes for students with intellectual disability relative to school locale (i.e., rural, urban, and suburban) and severity of intellectual disability. Youth from rural schools reported high rates of positive post-school expectations with regard to independent living and being employed, and their rates relative to independent living exceeded parental expectations. However, across the different variables, school locale was only a factor in the binary or ordinal logistic regression analyses for two dependent variables: parental expectation for their child to support themselves financially and parental expectations of obtained level of education.

Technology and Social Inclusion: Technology Training and Usage by Youth With IDD in the National Longitudinal Transition Study of 2012

Abstract Technology use is a key form of social inclusion and a means to engage in community participation. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience a digital divide with less technology access as compared to their peers. We used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of 2012 to study technology use and access to instruction among adolescents with IDD compared to adolescents with other disabilities and adolescents without disabilities. Results indicate adolescents with IDD use technology less, receive less technology training, and engage in fewer social inclusion opportunities than their peers. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are provided, including promoting digital citizenship training during transition planning and the use of social capital theory.

Longitudinal change in parent postsecondary expectations for youth with disabilities

Purpose Expectations held by parents of youth with disabilities contribute to decision making and planning for adulthood. This study investigated longitudinal stability of parent expectations about the transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities (i.e., likelihood of obtaining postsecondary education, living independently, becoming financially self-sufficient) and how the stability of parent expectations was related to adult outcomes. Materials and methods Participants were parents of 3640 youth who participated in the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) waves 1 and 2 and had available data related to parent expectations. Results Parent expectations were moderately correlated across waves; however, over one-third of parents changed their expectations across waves, including directional shifts (e.g., changing from thinking they probably will achieve the outcome to probably will not achieve it). Directional shifts in parent expectations between waves 1 and 2 significantly predicted young adult outcomes at wave 5. The children of parents who demonstrated uncertainty, as indicated by directional expectation shifts, were less likely live independently as young adults. Family involvement in the transition process is critical and should continue to be advocated for in both policy and practice. Improved supports may be warranted for families who experience uncertainty. Implications for rehabilitation Practitioners should recognize that parents of youth with disabilities have expectations for their child’s transition to adulthood that may change over time and are influenced by factors such as youth age, disability classification, gender, and socioeconomic status. The ways parents’ expectations change over time may have lasting implications for their child; specifically, we identified that youth of parents who change their expectations negatively (by shifting to expect less independence) are less likely to attain certain adult milestones. Parents experiencing uncertainty about their youths’ postsecondary potential may require additional support and resources to understand their child’s strengths and challenges, consider available services, and ultimately to promote more independent outcomes for the youth.

Life After College: Employment, Social, and Community Outcomes for Young Deaf Adults

While most research on transition outcomes focuses on education and employment, the transition to adulthood also includes social outcomes, such as group involvement and community service. The present study examined a broader set of outcomes for young deaf adults after postsecondary education. A secondary analysis of a large-scale data set, the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS2), was conducted to compare the employment, income assistance, and social/community outcomes of three postsecondary education cohorts: graduates, noncompleters, and nonattendees. The findings indicate that young deaf adults with more postsecondary education have more positive outcomes, e.g., higher employment rates, higher wages, and greater civic and social participation. These findings further demonstrate the importance of postsecondary education for young deaf adults and can be used to inform transition planning for deaf students, supporting the need to consider exploration of various career pathways available through college or postsecondary career/technical education.

Gender Differences in Risk and Protective Factors Among Youth With EBD: Findings From the NLTS2

Using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2), we examined risk and protective factors associated with post-secondary outcomes among youth with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Results indicate that, compared to their male peers, females with EBD demonstrated higher levels of social and behavioral skills and higher grades. We also discovered discrepancies between teacher reports and female students’ self-reports of academic, social, and behavioral competencies, suggesting females with EBD underestimate their own skills or that teachers are not fully aware of these students’ areas of difficulty. We discuss implications of these results related to existing prevention and intervention strategies for females with EBD.

Exploring Predictors of Community Participation Among Young Adults with Severe Disabilities

A secondary analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2 (NLTS2) was conducted to examine predictors associated with improved postschool community participation of young adults with severe disabilities. Multidimensional item response theory was used to establish criterion and predictor constructs and examine predictive relationships between these constructs. Results identified two outcome constructs (community involvement, social engagement) and four predictors (functional skills, classroom behaviors, participation in social networks, access to vocational programs) establishing good model fit. Participation in social networks while in school was a strong predictor of both community involvement and social engagement. Functional skills of young adults predicted postschool community involvement. Implications for future research and practice promoting and supporting community participation are discussed.