Abstract
This quantitative study sought to examine parental perceptions of the transition to adulthood for their children with disabilities. Seventy-seven parents completed an anonymous online survey through PsychData regarding aspects of their perceptions of this transitory time. Questions were adapted from the Autism Parenting Stress Index (Silva & Schalock, 2012) and the Center for Disease Control’s (2007) Survey of Adult Transition and Health. The researchers sought to examine if associations existed among the child’s age, the amount of services the child received, and/or the level of help the parent perceived the child to need with everyday tasks and parental stress, coping, and concern about this transition. Results revealed significant associations between the dependent variables and the age of the child; the amount of services the child received; and how much help the parent perceived the child would need with routine tasks, personal needs, and participation in activities.
Keywords: parent perceptions, parent coping, parent stress, transition to adulthood
