Differences in Youth and Parent Postsecondary Expectations for Youth with Disabilities.

Background: Parent expectations are known to be significant predictors of postsecondary outcomes among youth with disabilities. However, little is known about the relationship between parent and youth expectations and their differential prediction of postsecondary outcomes among youth with disabilities.

Objective: To determine the relationship between parent and youth expectations among students with disabilities in the United States.

Methods: Through analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), we compared wave two parent and youth expectations across disability categories (=1,940) and explored the extent to which they predicted youth postsecondary outcomes.

Results: We identified that parent and youth expectations are related but significantly different, with parents consistently holding less independent expectations than youth. Both parent and youth expectations were identified as significant predictors of postsecondary outcomes, with youth expectations more strongly predicting education and independent living outcomes, and parent expectations more strongly predicting employment and Social Security benefit outcomes.

Conclusions: Transition providers should work with parents and youth to develop collaborative goals and expectations to best support youth with disabilities for independent activities in adulthood.