Postsecondary Transition Research Articles

Adjustment to college and prediction of depression during post-secondary transition

Many studies have reported an increase in mental health problems during post-secondary transition, often originating from high school years. The present study examined how depressive symptoms during the 2 years following the post-secondary transition could be predicted by, on the one hand, school performance, externalized and learning difficulties, and depressive symptoms before the post-secondary transition, and on the other hand, personal factors, family functioning, and adjustment to college after the transition. From a sample of 438 participants (M = 16.20, SD = 0.87) at time point 1, an integrated model was elaborated using structural equation modeling. The statistical analyses showed that the five constructs fit the data well. The path coefficients showed a negative relationship between externalized and learning problems as perceived by the teacher (ELPT) before the transition and academic performance (AP). Personal characteristics (PC) negatively predicted academic adjustment (AC) over time, whereas the path coefficients between the family factor (FF) and AC were not significant over time. ELPT and AP negatively predicted depression at time point 1. At time points 2 and 3, PC positively predicted depression, and depressive symptoms were positively related over time. The percentage of variance accounted for by the depressive symptoms increased over time.

The Effects of an Intensive Postsecondary Transition Program on College Readiness for Adult Learners

Postsecondary transition programs have emerged to prepare adult learners to enter college with either limited or no remediation work needed in developmental education. This article examines the results of a pilot study, in which participants (ages 20 years and older who held GED® credentials or high school degrees) received accelerated instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, learning framework, and college knowledge. These transition programs, which took place at five sites in Texas, used a short-term (10 weeks or fewer) but intensive (at least 120 contact hours) cohort intervention model. Of the 20 pairs of pre- and postprogram assessments, which evaluated student achievement gains in reading, writing, and, mathematics, 18 resulted in statistically significant increases. However, many participants who realized achievement gains did not reach the college readiness benchmarks (as measured by the assessment instrument) in all three subject areas. However, evidence suggests that these students are better prepared academically than before the program.

Characteristics of Students Receiving Occupational Therapy Services in Transition and Factors Related to Postsecondary Success.

This study had a twofold purpose: (1) identify the characteristics of people with disabilities who received occupational therapy services during their transition to adulthood and (2) determine factors associated with their successful postsecondary transition. This study was a secondary analysis of National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 data. Data analyses include descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and simple linear regression. Autism, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability were the most commonly reported disability classifications. Participation in postsecondary education was significantly associated with functional use of arms and hands. Postsecondary employment was significantly associated with verbal comprehension. Participation in community activities was significantly related to students' health status, and participation in community service was significantly related to students' functional use of arms and hands. Providing transition services to students with disabilities remains an emerging area of practice. Occupational therapy practitioners may contribute to transition teams by intervening to improve functional abilities and health status.

Supporting mentors working with students with intellectual disabilities in higher education.

Project Panther LIFE is an inclusive postsecondary transition program for students with intellectual disabilities providing university access and participation with the primary goal of employment at program completion. Students in the program receive support from their academic mentors and peer coaches during the academic year. This study examines the skills and activities mentors use during their weekly sessions with students with intellectual disabilities and identifies areas in which mentors may require further support or training. Data analysis revealed major themes related to inclusion, self-determination, and adaptive behavior skills. Upon review of the data, we suggest that mentors need ongoing support from transition programs especially in areas related to encouraging self-advocacy and supporting time management.

Family Legacy or Family Pioneer? Social Class Differences in the Way Adolescents Construct College-Going

In an era of heightened educational expectations, it can be difficult to discern why would-be first-generation college-going adolescents are less likely to enroll in college than non-first generation adolescents. This article draws from cultural sociology to interpret differences in the way that adolescents socially construct the transition into college. Our data come from focus groups with 37 boys and 43 girls conducted in a racially diverse school district in central Texas in the United States. We find that adolescents are generally highly ambitious in their educational expectations. However, adolescents who would be the first in their family to attend college have distinctive cultural frames related to the postsecondary transition compared to adolescents whose parents went to college. Would-be first generation adolescents perceive going to college as being a family pioneer rather than continuing the family legacy, which represents a point of departure from their family of origin. Identifying distinct cultural frames and the ways that school context shapes students’ cultural frames enhances our understanding of social class differences in the college-going behavior of American adolescents.

Employing a social justice framework to promote postsecondary transition for students with intellectual disability

Transition from high school to postsecondary education (PSE) and employment can be challenging for all youth, and particularly for youth with intellectual disability (ID). Promoting equity and access to PSE for students with ID is a social justice mandate, and high school counselors are uniquely positioned to assist youth with ID in accessing appropriate PSE options. This article describes how high school counselors can effectively support the postsecondary transition needs of students with ID through applying a framework of advocacy and social justice, using the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies.

The Development and Testing of an Instrument to Measure Youth Social Capital in the Domain of Postsecondary Transitions

Through the development and field testing of an instrument designed to measure youth social capital in the context of postsecondary transitions, this research addresses the need for theory-driven measures of social capital among youth. The results offer preliminary evidence that dimensions of youth social capital, including network structure and network content, can be reliably measured and that these dimensions of social capital are interrelated in a manner consistent with theory. The results also offer initial support for the validity of the social capital construct within the domain of youth postsecondary transitions. Taken together, the findings provide a foundation for continued research that might surmount inadequate measures and theoretical disputes to encompass more careful and rigorous empirical scrutiny when it comes to the measurement of social capital among children and adolescents.

Rethinking College: Roles for School Psychologists in Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disability

Transition from high school to postsecondary education (PSE) and employment can be challenging for all youth, and particularly for youth with intellectual disability (ID) who are more likely to remain in poverty compared to their peers without disabilities (Mock and Love, J Policy Pract Intellect Disabil, 9:289-297, 2012; Siperstein et al., J Vocat Rehabil, 39:157-160, 2013). In the USA, the critical transition period from adolescence to adulthood for students with ID is receiving increased attention. There have been significant advances in educational programming and PSE options for students with ID targeting academic growth, personal adjustment, and career development goals. Increasing access to PSE for students with ID is a shared responsibility, involving collaboration across a variety of service providers, including school psychologists. This article reviews transition challenges and programming opportunities as well as describes the roles that school psychologists can assume in identifying and providing effective support strategies to meet the postsecondary transition needs of students with ID.

“Why Wait Years to Become Something?” Low-income African American Youth and the Costly Career Search in For-profit Trade Schools

Increasing numbers of low-income and minority youth are now pursuing shorter-duration sub-baccalaureate credentials at for-profit trade and technical schools. However, many students drop out of these schools, leaving with large debts and few job prospects. Despite these dismal outcomes, we know very little about students’ experiences in for-profit programs and how these institutions shape postsecondary attainment. Using data from fieldwork with 150 inner-city African American youth, we examine why disadvantaged youth are attracted to these schools and why they struggle to complete certifications. In contrast to previous research, we find that the youth in our study have quite modest ambitions and look to for-profit trade schools as the quickest and most direct route to work. However, youth receive little information or guidance to support such postsecondary transitions. Therefore, the very element that makes for-profit trade school programs seem the most appealing—a curriculum focused on one particular career—becomes an obstacle when it requires youth to commit to a program of study before they have explored their interests. When youth realize they do not like or are not prepared for their chosen career, they adopt coping strategies that keep them in school but swirling between programs, rather than accumulating any credentials.

Challenges and Supports During the Transition from High School to College for Students with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Students who have sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may experience a number of consequences, all of which can impede the transition from high school to postsecondary educational settings. This study, which relied on interviews with students who had sustained TBIs and who had persistent problems related to their traumas, helped gain an understanding of their postsecondary transition experiences. Students’ parents were also interviewed to provide a point of comparison. The reports of these students—all of whom were enrolled in college at the time of the study—revealed significant challenges with attention and focus, fatigue, short-term memory, and social situations. Comments from the parents offered corroboration. This report concludes with suggestions for school-based practice to promote strategies and services supporting this population of students in their transition to postsecondary educational settings.

Going Off Script: Structure and Agency in Individualized Education Program Meetings

In this comparative case study, we draw from neoinstitutional and structuration theory to examine the individualized education program (IEP) meetings for five high school students identified with specific learning disabilities. Specifically, we examine how participants interacted during the IEP meetings and how learning, instruction, and postsecondary transition were discussed. Findings suggest that the IEP document served as the dominant script, or structure, for the IEP meetings. This dominant script established roles for participation and influenced participants’ agency within the meetings. We also highlight instances of disruption when participants exerted agency and went off script, breaking from the institutionalized structure of the meetings.

The impact of self beliefs on post-secondary transitions: The moderating effects of institutional selectivity

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between self beliefs, institutional characteristics, and college student persistence. More specifically, this study sought to understand whether self-efficacy beliefs, both academic self-efficacy and social self-efficacy, play a role in college persistence. Further, the possible moderating effects of institutional selectivity were explored. Results showed academic and social self-efficacy beliefs were associated with first-year college persistence. Accounting for the moderating effects of college selectivity revealed a nuanced relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and persistence. Social self-efficacy had the greatest impact on the persistence of students at less selective colleges, whereas academic efficacy was associated with a greater persistence for students at highly selective colleges. Implications for higher education practitioners and counselors are discussed.

Perspectives on transitions in schooling and instructional practice

With a focus on transitions in schooling and instructional practice, one would be justified in expecting this book to be an interdisciplinary publication, as transitions are not a field of their own. Rather, researchers in a variety of educational domains–both subject area specialities (e.g., science) and interdisciplinary fields (e.g., educational leadership)–address these topics in their work. Compiling a collection of essays on such a broad topic would understandably be a challenge for any scholar. While the editors did an admirable job with this difficult task, the resulting publication is not without concerns. The editors of this book, Susan E. Elliott and Daniel H. Jarvis, are professors in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, and research literacy and mathematics education, respectively. The editors’ research areas and a geographic focus in Canada are reflected in the composition of the book’s chapters. Specifically, this 527-page edited book is comprised of 19 chapters written by 26 authors, as well as an Introduction and a Coda written by the editors. Although the book’s description depicts the authors as international experts, the authors only represent four countries–Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the United States–three of which are culturally very similar. The majority of the contributors are Canadians writing about research in Canadian (more specifically, Ontario) contexts. While this geographic focus is not a problem as such, the description of the book as containing chapters by international experts seems a bit misleading. The chapters are grouped into four sections based on chronological transitions in schooling, which are Part I: Early Years (Home/Preschool/Kindergarten) to Early Elementary (Grades 13); Part II: Early Elementary (Grades 1-3) to Late Elementary (Grades 4-8); Part III: Late Elementary (Grades 4-8) to Secondary (Grades 9-12); and Part IV: Secondary (Grades 9-12) to Postsecondary (College/University). The chapters are unevenly distributed among the four sections, with four, five, seven, and three chapters, respectively. The inclusion of seven chapters about the elementary to secondary school transition is understandable, given its focus in the extant body of literature. However, the dearth of chapters on the secondary to postsecondary school transition was rather surprising, as a great deal of research exists regarding this particular transition in schooling. For example, a search of the ERIC database for “transition to university/college/postsecondary” results in approximately 8,000 results. As will be discussed, one of the chapters in Part IV did not address the secondary to postsecondary school transition, resulting in only two topic-specific chapters, which seems mismatched when compared to the

Resilience Factors in Students Presenting Depressive Symptoms during the Post-secondary School Transition

Depression constitutes an important predicting factor of school dropout. The post-secondary transition represents a vulnerability period for at-risk students. The goal of this study was to identify resilience factors of depression in a sample of 389 young adults. Self-reported measures (personal, family, social and school-related) were completed. A subgroup of resilience students, who did not report depressive symptoms although they experienced low family support, was compared with a subgroup of depressive students. Results of khi 2 analyses and multiple linear regression analysis revealed that four variables characterized the subgroup of resilience students (N=42). The presence of personal goals was associated with the higher Beta value, followed by low level of dysfunctional attitudes, good emotional adjustment to college, and professional goals.

Locating the Terms of Engagement: Shared Language Development in Secondary to Postsecondary Writing Transitions

This article explores shared language development in secondary to postsecondary transitions. Based on survey findings of secondary students, the authors advocate using a shared language corpus to access and collect student and instructor language about writing to smooth secondary to postsecondary transitions and transitions beyond the FYC classroom.

Views of Chinese parents and transition teachers on school-to-work transition services for adolescents with intellectual disability: A qualitative study

Background The use of effective theory and practice in school-to-work transition for adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) is essential to enhance transition outcomes. In China, little attention has been paid to these issues. The current study explored Chinese parents’ and transition teachers’ views on school-to-work transition services for adolescents with ID.Method Fourteen transition teachers and 14 parents across 7 cities in China were interviewed, and the interview data were thematically analysed.Results The results suggest that the chief reasons for poor transition outcomes in China include social bias toward and limited employability of adolescents with ID, lack of quality transition programs, and insufficient policy and financial support.Conclusions It is recommended that the Chinese government, employers, transition institutions, and families make changes to address the underachievement of postsecondary transition outcomes.

Postsecondary Transition and the Courts

Postsecondary transition programming for students with disabilities has been a priority for state departments of education, local school districts, and individual education program planning teams since a transition requirement was added to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. Whereas the legal requirements of transition programming are clear, it is instructive to see how courts have interpreted this mandate. In this article, we review six district-level court cases from 2012 to 2013 that involved postsecondary transition planning and services provided under IDEA 2004. Of these six cases, three were decided in favor of the school district, and three were decided in favor of the student and their families. We discuss recommendations to ensure that school districts provide legally appropriate transition planning and programming for eligible students with disabilities.

Post-School Transition-Preparation for High School Students with Disabilities: A Vital Issue for Special Education

This article discusses why the post-secondary transition of high school students with disabilities is so important and notes research which suggests that many schools struggle to achieve the desired outcomes when it comes to the successful transitioning of young disabled youth into post-schooling life.

Post-Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities: A Global Initiative

Post-Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities: A Global Initiative

Nine Strategies to Improve College Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities

with learning disabilities (LD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who attend college do not complete their degrees at the same rate as their typical peers. Part of the explanation for this is due to a major difference in the education environment; in college, both the disability accommodation system and the academic environment are different from what students have experienced in high school. However, high schools can prepare students for this postsecondary transition by educating them about the college disability system and academic expectations, and by helping them develop knowledge about their learning profile and compensatory strategies; this in turn can improve outcomes for these students. This article provides nine strategies to assist districts in creating a comprehensive plan to help students with LD and ADHD make a successful transition to college.