A Pattern of Transition to Adulthood Indicated in Plans for the Future of Males with Intellectual Disabilities: Secondary Qualitative Data Analysis

Abstract

The paper examines the category of transition to adulthood of males with intellectual disabilities. It involved secondary analysis of qualitative data from three earlier research projects, whose participants were male students of special vocational schools for students with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) (IQ 70-55). The secondary analysis involves overall forty-six in-depth qualitative interviews conducted in Poland. The main research question of the secondary analysis is as follows: What is the pattern of transition to adulthood of the 46 males aged 18-21 with intellectual disabilities? Within the research question, three sub-problems established as detailed research questions were also investigated: What are the components of transition patterns to adulthood? What are the factors facilitating and hindering the process of transition? The results indicate that the main aim of transition to adulthood in the pattern of transition, which was generated from 46 interviews of young Polish males with mild intellectual disabilities, was autonomy. There are several internal components of transition to adulthood: health conditions, self-awareness including skills and limitations, competences, awareness of future educational, work and accommodation tracks etc. The results also show external components of the transition pattern to adulthood. Among them there are ties and social circles and the system of education and access to the labor market. The research results also indicated a variety of factors that facilitated and hindered transition to adulthood of 46 Polish males with mild intellectual disabilities.