Moving Out: Residential Independence Among Young Adults With Disabilities and the Role of Families

摘要

This article examines the transition to adulthood from a life course perspective, highlighting the experiences of youth with disabilities and the role that families make in that transition. Here, we focus on youth leaving home as a key marker of transition to adulthood and address historical and contemporary trends in leaving home and current influences on youths' residential opportunities. The literature reviewed here helps us to understand how larger social structures and contexts shape the nature of the residential opportunities available to all youth, especially youth with disabilities. Some implications regarding the role of families as social supports for youth with disabilities are addressed.