Although social groups have "insiders," this construct has not been measured within the disability advocacy community. Examining 405 individuals who applied for an advocacy training program, this study examined the nature of insiderness within the disability advocacy community and ties to individual roles. Participants showed differences…

Special education advocacy programs support families to secure services for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although research demonstrates the efficacy of one such program (the Volunteer Advocacy Project), its effectiveness when replicated by others is unknown. Replication research is critical to ensure that…

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges accessing needed services as they transition to adulthood. Correlates of service access identified in the literature--such as family resources, race/ethnicity, or youth functioning--can be difficult to change and may not be feasible targets for intervention. This study focused on a…

Background: Given the increasing lifespans of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), siblings may fulfil multiple caregiving roles simultaneously for their ageing parents, their offspring, and their brother or sister with IDD. Yet, little is known about compound sibling caregivers. The purpose of this study was to…

Internationally, parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities have historically engaged in advocacy leading to compulsory education for their children. However, few parents have reported civic engagement. Although empowerment is related to parent advocacy, it is unclear whether empowerment relates to civic engagement. Thus,…

Family-professional partnership is an essential component of the special education process for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Latinx families face systemic barriers when participating in educational decision-making for their children with IDD. Few studies have examined…

Parent advocacy has led to improved educational access and outcomes for students with disabilities. Extant research indicates that parents are more likely to participate in individual advocacy than systemic advocacy. Due to the preponderance of individual advocacy, limited research has focused on systemic advocacy. Thus, the purpose of this study…

Although adult siblings often fulfill caregiving roles for their brothers and sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and report needing support, little intervention research has been conducted with adult siblings of individuals with IDD. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the preliminary outcomes of a leadership…

Family-professional partnership is an essential component of the special education process for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). However, many families face barriers to participation in the special education process. Latino families especially face systemic barriers when participating in educational…

Given the longer lives of individuals with disabilities and the increasing likelihood of siblings fulfilling family caregiving roles, it is critical to identify correlates of sibling caregiving. Yet, little research has examined the relation between the severity of the disability and sibling caregiving. The purpose of this study was to understand…

Although expected to be equal partners in the special education process, parents of children with disabilities often struggle to participate in individualized education program (IEP) meetings. Specifically, Latino parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face systemic barriers occluding their participation and advocacy in IEP…

Parent advocacy is an essential component to help children with disabilities receive appropriate school services. However, there are limited studies about parent advocacy for children with disabilities living in rural areas. To address this issue, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 parents of children with disabilities. The purpose…

Although the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) mandates parent participation in their children's education programs, the implementation of IDEA results in parent effort beyond participation, specifically, an expectation of advocacy. To date, research on the advocacy expectation is mixed, with some parents perceiving…

Although parents of children with disabilities have forged systemic changes for individuals with disabilities, little is known about the phenomenon of legislative advocacy (LA) including methods and barriers. In this United States-based study, 49 parents of individuals with disabilities participated in focus groups about LA reporting both positive…

The transition from high school to adulthood is difficult for youth with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Recognizing these challenges, there is a small but emerging body of literature testing interventions to improve the transition process. But there are many challenges in performing intervention research that have yet to be fully…