Disability Category Differences in Views of Personal Relationships

Not many statistically significant differences emerge regarding the views examined in this chapter for youth with disabilities who differ in age, gender, household income, or race/ethnicity. For example, there are no differences between any subgroups in their views of how much friends, parents, or other adults care about them or how much their families pay attention to them. However, there are some exceptions:

• Nineteen-year-olds are less likely than younger workers to rely on a boss or supervisor for support; two-thirds say they rely on a boss or supervisor "not too much," compared with 16 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds and 25 percent of 17-year-olds (p < .001 and p < .01, respectively).


• Girls are more likely than boys to turn "a lot" to friends (49 percent vs. 34 percent, p < .01).


• White youth with disabilities are more likely than African American youth to say they rely for support "a lot" on friends (46 percent vs. 22 percent, p < .001).