YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES’ DESCRIPTIONS OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES
“Between 59% and 83% of youth with disabilities say that each of five positive attributes are “very much” like them—being nice, being proud of themselves, being able to handle challenges, feeling useful and important, and feeling that life is full of interesting things to do.
• About 60% reported that in the previous week they “rarely or never” felt depressed, lonely, or disliked by others.
• In contrast, almost 1 in 10 youth with disabilities do not consider themselves to be useful or important “at all,” and 12% say they “rarely or never” feel hopeful about the future.
• Fewer than one-third of those who had received special education services when they were ages 13 through 16 consider themselves to have a disability or special needs by the time they are 15 through 19 years old.
SELF-EVALUATIONS OF STRENGTHS AND COMPETENCIES
More than half of youth with disabilities report they are at least “pretty good” in the areas of performing arts, creative arts, mechanical tasks, computer use, and physical or athletic performance.
• A comparison of parents’ and youth’s perceptions indicates that, overall, parents tend to hold higher opinions of their children’s strengths than youth hold of themselves.
• More than half of youth with disabilities report being able to tell peers their feelings when peers upset them, and almost twothirds say they can get adults to listen to them and get information they need.
• Half of youth with disabilities score in the high range on the measures of personal autonomy, and more than 8 in 10 have high scores related to psychological empowerment.
SELF-EVALUATIONS OF STRENGTHS AND COMPETENCIES
More than half of youth with disabilities report they are at least “pretty good” in the areas of performing arts, creative arts, mechanical tasks, computer use, and physical or athletic performance.
• A comparison of parents’ and youth’s perceptions indicates that, overall, parents tend to hold higher opinions of their children’s strengths than youth hold of themselves.
• More than half of youth with disabilities report being able to tell peers their feelings when peers upset them, and almost twothirds say they can get adults to listen to them and get information they need.
• Half of youth with disabilities score in the high range on the measures of personal autonomy, and more than 8 in 10 have high scores related to psychological empowerment.
VIEWS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
On virtually all measures, positive views of school predominate, and strongly negative views are held by a minority of youth with disabilities.
• The majority of youth with disabilities report not finding school particularly hard, and most report having no more than occasional problems completing homework, paying attention, or getting along with teachers or other students.
• The most negative views (e.g., having daily problems at school, finding school very hard or not liking or feeling part of school “at all”) are held by 1% to 11% of youth with disabilities.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Personal relationships can be “protective factors” against a variety of adolescent risk behaviors.
• For the most part, youth with disabilities report having strong, positive relationships with their parents. Parents also are the people youth with disabilities are most likely to turn to for support.
GETTING ALONG: The majority of youth with disabilities report not finding school particularly hard, and most report having no more than occasional problems completing homework, paying attention, or getting along with teachers or other students.
