UC Riverside

Transition to adulthood can be a stressful time for all parents, but particularly so if the young adult has a disability. Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) have less successful outcomes in the education, employment, social, and independence domains compared to their typically developing (TD) peers (e.g., Grigal et al., 2011; Newman et al., 2010; Shattuck et al., 2012). As parents play a crucial role in transition for young adults with ASD and ID, understanding their perspectives and expectations for their young adults is crucial to understanding the factors that affect transition outcomes (Sosnowy et al., 2018). Relatively little research has been devoted to understanding how young adult outcomes are aligned with the priorities of parents, or how parental wellbeing impacts young adult outcomes. This study used qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews to describe mothers’ (N=109) desired outcomes, challenges, and worries for their young adults ages 20 to 25 with ASD, ID, and TD, participating in a 20-year longitudinal study. Quantitative analyses examined the relationship between mothers’ desired outcomes, maternal wellbeing, and youth transition outcomes. Mothers of young adults with and without disabilities broadly reported common concerns and goals for their young adults, but some themes were unique to mothers of youth with disabilities, reflecting additional challenges for these families. Consistent with previous research, transition outcomes were less positive for young adults with ID or ASD. More successful young adult outcomes were associated with greater maternal wellbeing, more positive outlook, and higher expectations. Discussion provides implications for transition planning and emphasizes how to support parents as facilitators of successful transition.