Objective: To test the effectiveness of Houvast: a strengths-based intervention for homeless young adults. Method: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with 10 Dutch shelter facilities randomly allocated to an intervention and a control group. Homeless young adults were interviewed when entering the facility and when care ended.…

This paper reports findings from an exploratory study of mainly young people's verbally articulated perceptions of urban life in Glasgow, Scotland. The focus is upon areas of deprivation where territory and social capital is contested and whose meanings are possibly only partially grasped by our informants. Their personal knowledge of violence and…

Work is important for people with disabilities, and fosters their career development and quality of life. Findings from social cognitive theory suggest that transition to work and work inclusion processes should be based on opportunities to explore the world of work, awareness of professional options (of which people with an intellectual…

The predictive relations between social capital depth (high-quality relationships across contexts) and breadth (friendship network extensivity) and early-adult life adjustment outcomes were examined using data from a prospective longitudinal study. Interviews at age 22 yielded (a) psychometrically sound indexes of relationship quality with…

Professional services for persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) have begun to attach more importance to their environment. The concept of (family-related) quality of life proved to link very well with this idea and lent itself to constructing and evaluating services. One outcome was the emergence of equal partnerships between families,…

Social inclusion enhances the quality of life of young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Young adults with ID continue to face prejudice and discrimination that limit their social inclusion. They experience limited social inclusion because there are not enough appropriate activities available and they have limited opportunities to…

The purpose of this study was to describe how youth with cerebral palsy experience mobility in their daily lives using a phenomenological approach. The participants were 10 youth with cerebral palsy, 17 to 20 years of age, selected using purposeful sampling with maximum variation strategies. A total of 14 interviews were completed. Transcripts…

Background: This study is part of a programme of research aiming to develop a quantitative measure of quality of life for children with communication needs. It builds on the preliminary findings of Markham and Dean (2006), which described some of the perception's parents and carers of children with speech language and communication needs had…

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease among children and adolescents with Down syndrome and the possible repercussions of such pathology in the quality of life of the group in question. Method: The sample consists of 93 individuals with Down syndrome 6-20 years old, living in Brazil (Minas Gerais).…

Factors influencing quality of life for persons with Asperger syndrome are not yet understood. Men, ages 18 to 21, completed the World Health Organization Quality Of Life measure, the Perceived Support Network Inventory, and a semi-structured interview. Asperger syndrome affects quality of life beyond the obvious social impact. The 12 men with…

Observations and interviews with six young adults having moderate and severe mental disabilities, as well as with their employers, parents, residential service providers, and teachers, were conducted to determine their degree of satisfaction with their jobs in integrated workplaces. Certain consistent behaviors were identified that indicated job…

This report summarizes and documents the major technical aspects of the High School and Beyond (HS&B) third follow-up survey conducted during the spring and summer of 1986. Young persons who, either as sophomores or as seniors, had participated in the base year survey in 1980 were contracted for the fourth time in 1984 and asked to complete…

In-depth, structured interviews were conducted over a two-year period with four young adults (previously identified as learning disabled) who had dropped out of high school. Their stories cast doubt on the idea that dropouts are necessarily "failures" but suggest serious shortcomings in the secondary education programing and the transition…

The post-school status of 87 individuals with moderate to severe mental retardation was assessed in terms of employment, education, living arrangements, day program participation, community involvement, and friendships. Interviews were conducted with informed respondents (usually parents or group home staff) for 27 individuals who had been out of…

The report describes an Australian project to investigate ways in which gender issues affect adolescent girls with disabilities and associated educational implications. Interviews were conducted with 180 girls and women (ages 12-29) with mild or moderate disabilities. Additional information came from questionnaire responses and discussions with 48…