Mapping the Landscape of Postsecondary Transition Experimental Research: A 10-Year Review of CDTEI

Abstract

This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the experimental intervention research being published from 2010 to 2020 within Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals (CDTEI). We critically evaluated studies found through a hand-search of CDTEI and identified patterns and trends across ten years based on study characteristics, focus of the experimental literature, and adherence to reporting standards set by the National Technical Assistance Center (NTACT) through their quality indicators. A total of 208 articles were reviewed following The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines as a framework. Approximately 17% (n=36) of documents used an experimental design that fit inclusion criteria. Of these, 47% were group design and 53% used a single case design. Results suggest a need to shift away from efficacy research to effectiveness-based research with a focus on real-life academic settings and natural change agents. Findings suggest a critical need for the educational research community to enhance the trustworthiness of scientific findings with convincing data analysis methods that are reliable and valid for the conclusions drawn.