Date of Award:

8-2017

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling

Department name when degree awarded

Special Education and Rehabilitation

Committee Chair(s)

Robert L. Morgan

Committee

Robert L. Morgan

Committee

Timothy Riesen

Committee

Kimberly H. Snow

Abstract

Parents of children with severe/moderate disabilities experience uncertainty and a lack of knowledge as their children go through the transition to adulthood. Research has shown parents play a key role in their child's postschool outcome success and that parent training and beginning transition preparation early are key predictors. This study examined the effects of parent training on parents' knowledge, expectations, and action towards their child's transition to adulthood. Participants consisted of parents of middle school youth with severe/moderate disabilities. The study measured parent knowledge, expectations, and actions. Procedures involved (a) a pretest administered to parents on their transition knowledge, (b) a training session highlighting successful examples of similar individuals with disabilities in the transition process, information on transition services, and action goals that participants can begin working on now; and (c) a posttest on parent knowledge and expectations. The mean scores on parent expectations and knowledge increased from the pretest to posttest. Additionally, parents were given an assignment to be completed after the training session as a measure of their action to assist their child towards transition. The researcher contacted participants 2 weeks following training to determine if the assignment was completed. Seventy-one percent of participants indicated they worked on their assignment during the 2-week follow-up phone call. Based on these results, parent training in this study was associated with increased parent expectations, knowledge, and actions.

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