ABSTRACT
We report on a 20-year follow-up of 30 children with developmental delays identified at age 3. Our purpose was to assess the relationship of early indicators of delay to cognitive and personal-social status in young adulthood. Predictors were Developmental and Personal-Social factors derived from standardized tests and parent questionnaires administered when the children were 3 and 6 to 7. Outcome measures in young adulthood included standardized and project-developed questionnaires and interviews with young adults and parents. Findings indicate that prediction varies relative to the outcome assessed. Developmental status at 6 to 7 was a strong predictor of developmental status in young adulthood. However, personal-social outcomes were generally not predicted by Personal-Social factors in the early years.
Subject(s)
Developmental Disabilities/diagnosis , Intellectual Disability/diagnosis , Social Adjustment , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child Behavior Disorders/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Conduct Disorder/diagnosis , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Intelligence , Interview, Psychological , Language Development Disorders/diagnosis , Male , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Prognosis , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Data from parents and young adults were collected as part of a 20-year follow-up of children with developmental delays who had been identified at age 3 years. The young adults and their parents provided information through questionnaires and personal interviews. Findings documented a broad range of outcomes, with some young adults leading independent and productive lives, whereas the majority were un- or underemployed, living with and financially dependent upon their families, and socially isolated. Three types of parent-young adult relationships were identified. For both parents and young adults, IQ was significantly and negatively related to perceived life satisfaction.
Subject(s)
Developmental Disabilities/diagnosis , Parent-Child Relations , Adult , Child, Preschool , Developmental Disabilities/epidemiology , Educational Status , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Personal Satisfaction , Quality of Life , Severity of Illness Index , Sex Distribution , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Mixed-method and experimental data on working poor families and children with troubles participating in the New Hope anti-poverty experimental initiative in Milwaukee are described. Sixty percent of these families had at least one child who had significant problems (learning, school achievement and/or behavior, home behavior, retardation, other disabilities). Control group families with children who had troubles had more difficulties in sustaining their family routine than did New Hope experimental families. In the context of the many other challenges these parents face, adaptation to children with troubles does not stand out as sharply compared to middle-class European American families. There is less family adaptation specifically due to, or in response to, the troubled child, and more adaptation to the struggles of making ends meet.
