Outcome Status of Students With Learning Disabilities at Ages 21 and 24

Abstract

This study investigated whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) at age 10 was related to later schooling, employment, income, receipt of public aid, involvement in crime, and feeling of victimization at ages 21 and 24. Confidential self-report data were collected in a prospective, longitudinal panel study from a sample of 571 students, of whom 60 (10.5%) were children with LD. After controlling for gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, the following results were obtained: The highest postsecondary school attainment for young adults with LD was not significantly different from that of their peers without LD, both at age 21 and age 24. The rate of employment and amount of earned income of young adults with LD were not significantly lower than those of their peers without LD both at age 21 and age 24. Young adults with LD were not significantly different from their peers without LD at age 21 and age 24 with respect to having children, but young adults with LD received significantly more public aid (such as food stamps, supplemental security income, and unemployment compensation) at age 21 but not at age 24. Young adults with LD were not significantly different from their peers without LD in committing crimes or feeling victimized at age 21 and age 24.