Family support constitutes an important resource in developmental processes, particularly throughout adolescence and in times of transition (e.g. Blustein, 2011; Savickas et al., 2009; Young et al., 2002). Research on adolescents with disabilities often focuses on parents' perspectives, particularly regarding transition from school to work (e.g., Leonard et al., 2016) Guided by a humanistic-positivist approach encouraging self-direction (Stock et al., 2003), the current study explored how adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) and ADHD perceive their future, highlighting the family's role as a resource for social and vocational integration.
Method
Participants: Twelve (8 male, 4 female) Israeli Jewish adolescents aged 17-19 (M=17.98; SD=.50), diagnosed with LD and ADHD.
Measures: Based upon the literature and purpose of the current study, an in-depth semi-structured interview protocol was developed comprising two main questions: 1) Tell me about yourself; 2) Describe your future, as you see it five years from now.
Procedure: Fifty to 70-minute interviews were conducted, taped and transcribed. Domains and core ideas were identified following the Rich and Cinamon (2007) adaptation of CQR analysis (Hill & Thompson, 1997).
Results
Analysis revealed three themes underscoring family support in adolescents' future perceptions:1) Parental support - adolescents expressed the need for ongoing assistance from parents; 2) Future Spouse support - they envisioned future partners providing emotional support; 3) Work-family conflict expectations- they expressed concern about balancing work demands with family needs, stressing the importance of protecting family life.
Conclusions
Findings are consistent with existing career theoretical approaches, emphasizing the centrality of the family support in adolescents with disabilities' career development processes. These conceptual understandings may also serve as an additional theoretical layer for expanding existing educational career programs in special education frameworks.