Hispanic Youth/Young Adults with Disabilities: Parents' Visions for the Future

Abstract

The rapid increase of culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the United States has important implications for service delivery. Addressing the needs of individuals transitioning from adolescence to adulthood and their families requires that outcomes of service recognize the cultural differences of people with disabilities. The Hispanic population is one of the fastest growing of the culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the United States. To provide effective support services, a clearer understanding is needed of the perspectives of Hispanic parents of youth/young adults with disabilities concerning their hopes and expectations for their child's future. To address this issue, focus group interviews were conducted with 38 Hispanic parents of youth/young adults with developmental disabilities. The findings suggest that Hispanic parents have a diversity of hopes and expectations concerning future living, employment, and free-time options for their children with disabilities. Key recommendations focus on the implications for education and human service systems as well as directions for future research.