Transition Satisfaction and Family Well Being Among Parents of Young Adults With Severe Intellectual Disability

The transition from high school to adulthood is a critical life stage that entails many changes, especially for Youth with severe intellectual disability. The transition period may be especially stressful for the families of these young adults, who often experience a Sudden change, or decrease, in services. However, little research has examined what constitutes a successful transition for the families of these individuals. The present study examined parent perspectives of transition for 128 young adults with severe intellectual disability, specifically, parent satisfaction with transition. Results suggested that transition satisfaction is related to young adult, family, and environmental characteristics, with environmental characteristics being the strongest predictors of transition satisfaction. Furthermore, transition satisfaction is related to multiple measures of family well being, indicating the tremendous need for considering the broader family system when planning for a young adult's transition. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.