 |
|
NLTS2 Data BriefReports from the National Longitudinal Transition StudyMarch 2004 • Vol. 3, Issue 1
Social Activities of Youth with DisabilitiesBy Mary Wagner, Tom W. Cadwallader, Nicolle Garza, and Renée Cameto When youth take part in informal activities with friends or participate in organized extracurricular activities, their choices about how they use their nonschool hours can result in opportunities to explore interests, learn skills, develop friendships, have fun, and participate actively as members of their schools and communities. Activities with peers can take on particular importance during adolescence, when teens become more independent from their families and use peers for some types of support that previously were provided by family members. Although extracurricular activities and relationships may be crucial to the healthy development of all youth, some kinds of disabilities can present challenges to participation. The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)(see footnote 1), sponsored by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) of the U. S. Department of Education, provides a national perspective on the participation of youth with disabilities in activities involving individual friendships and organized groups. NLTS2 findings generalize to all students receiving special education who were between the ages of 13 and 16 in December 2000. Friendships and Extracurricular Activities
Many youth with disabilities often get together with friends in person and by telephone. Almost one-third see friends outside of class four or more times a week (Exhibit 1), and about twice as many receive telephone calls from friends several times a week. A large majority (85%) get invitations to friends’ social activities. However, a minority of youth are markedly less involved with friends. Almost one in 10 are reported never to see friends, one-fourth rarely or never receive telephone calls from them, and 15% had not received a social invitation from a friend during the past year. In addition to informal interactions with friends outside of class, almost two-thirds of youth are involved in organized group activities, with involvement in school- and community-sponsored activities being about equal. The rate of participation of youth with disabilities in organized group activities (65%) exceeds that of youth in the general population (61%), according to data calculated from the National Survey of American Families (NSAF, 1999). Rates of group participation by youth with disabilities have not changed markedly since 1987 (see footnote 2). About half of those who belong to groups belong to sports teams, and a similar proportion is reported to belong to religious groups. Performing groups, such as a band or dramatic group, and special interest groups, such as a hobby club or school club, are outlets for 18% and 11% of group members, respectively. Few are reported to belong to a disability-oriented group (5%) or a youth development group, such as a Boys or Girls Club (3%). Community service or volunteer activities were reported for 41% of secondary-school-age youth with disabilities. Youth with disabilities are substantially less likely to take part in these activities than youth in the general population (73%) (NSAF, 1999). Disability Differences in Friendships and Extracurricular ActivitiesYouth with various disabilities have very different levels of involvement with friends and extracurricular groups (Exhibit 2). For example, the percentage of youth who see friends frequently ranges from 6% to 34%. Receiving telephone calls frequently varies from 10% to 71% of youth with different kinds of disabilities. Group membership is more consistent across disability categories, ranging from 56% to 75% of youth. Youth with learning disabilities or speech impairments are among the most active. Youth with emotional disturbances have active individual friendships but are less likely than others to belong to organized groups. In contrast, youth with hearing impairments are active group members and among the most likely to do volunteer activities or community service, but they tend to see friends or receive telephone calls from them less frequently than many other groups. Youth with autism, multiple disabilities, or deaf-blindness are among the least likely to be actively involved with individual friends. From 27% to 40% of youth in these categories are reported never to see friends outside of class, and about half or more are not invited to social activities. Yet, more than half take part in organized group activities, and about one-third or more do community service.
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 parent interviews Demographic Differences in Friendships and Extracurricular ActivitiesThere are no age-related differences in friendships and extracurricular activities among youth with disabilities in the NLTS2 age range. Differences between boys and girls are apparent in that boys are more likely to see friends frequently (34% vs. 23%), but also are more likely to have infrequent telephone calls from friends (27% vs. 21%). Boys and girls are about equally likely to take part in extracurricular activities, but among those who belong to organized groups, boys favor sports teams (57% vs. 36% of girls), whereas girls are more likely to belong to religious groups (57% vs. 45%) or performing groups (27% vs. 13%). Friendship interactions and extracurricular activities vary for youth from households with different income levels and racial/ethnic backgrounds (Exhibit 3). Most friendship interactions and extracurricular activities are more common among youth with disabilities from higher-income families. Hispanic youth generally are the least likely to have active friendships and to participate in organized group activities. They and African American youth are also less likely than white youth with disabilities to take part in volunteer or community service activities. Upcoming analyses from NLTS2 will explore changes in patterns of friendships and extracurricular activities as youth age and the effects friendship patterns and extracurricular activities have on academic and other social outcomes for youth with disabilities.
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 parent interviews For More InformationFor more information on the subject of this NLTS2 Data Brief, see Wagner, M., Cadwallader, T. W., & Marder, C. (with Cameto, R., Cardoso, D., Garza, N., Levine, P., & Newman, L.). (2003). Life outside the classroom for youth with disabilities. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, available on the Web site: www.nlts2.org. NLTS2 Welcomes Feedback!Contact us—
The authors are part of the NLTS2 research team at the Center for Education and Human Services, SRI International. Footnotes
The NLTS2 Data Brief is produced by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), in partnership with the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2).
There are no copyright restrictions on this document. However, please cite and credit the source when copying all or part of this material. This report was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, (Cooperative Agreement No. H326J000005). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and no official endorsement by the Department should be inferred. This publication is available in an alternate format upon request. To request an alternate format or additional copies, contact NCSET at 612.624.2097. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To
understand the friendships of youth with disabilities, parents were asked how
often youth interact with friends by getting together outside of school, receiving
telephone calls from them, and being invited to other youths' social activities.
They were also asked whether youth had taken part in various extracurricular
activities during the previous year.Publications | Topics | E-News | Events | State Contacts Web Sites | About NCSET | Home | Search
© 2001-2022 Regents of the University of Minnesota |