ERIC Number: EJ1393221
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2047-3869
EISSN: EISSN-2047-3877
General Health Status of Youth with Autism with and without Intellectual Disabilities Transitioning from Special Education, and Its Relationship to Personal and Family Circumstances: Longitudinal Cohort Study
Rydzewska, Ewelina; Fleming, Michael; Mackay, Daniel; Young-Southward, Genevieve; Blacher, Jan; Bolourian, Yasamin Ross; Widaman, Keith; Cooper, Sally-Ann
International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, v69 n4 p515-523 2023
Objective: Transition from school to early adulthood incurs many changes and may be associated with deterioration in general health in youth with autism. We aimed to investigate this. Method: The National Longitudinal Transitions Study-2 is a USA nationally representative sample of youth receiving special education services, aged 13-17 at wave 1, followed-up over 10 years in five data collection waves. We conducted random-effects ordered logistic regressions to determine the odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals of wave, age, sex, ethnicity/race, additional intellectual disabilities, parental/guardian relationship status, and household income being associated with general health status in youth with autism. Results: Across waves, only between 74.3%-69.6% had excellent/very good health (71.7%-58.8% in those with co-occurring intellectual disabilities), but wave was not associated with health status. Associations were with age OR = 1.18 (1.04, 1.33), co-occurring intellectual disabilities OR = 1.56 (1.00, 2.44), and household income OR = 0.61 (0.40, 0.94) at $30,001-$50,000, OR = 0.44 (0.27, 0.72) at $50,001-$70,000, and OR = 0.34 (0.20, 0.56) at $70,001+. Sex, ethnicity/race, and parental/guardian relationship status were not associated with health status. Conclusion: There was little change in general health status longitudinally across the transitional period, but the proportion with excellent/very good health was low at each wave. Transitional planning should consider co-occurring intellectual disabilities, and the wider socioeconomic context in which children/youth with autism are raised. Lack of other longitudinal studies indicates a need for replication.
Descriptors: Special Education, Adolescents, Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Adjustment (to Environment), Individual Characteristics, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Marital Status, Parents, Family Income, Correlation, Health, Students with Disabilities
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A