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The Antecedents and Outcomes of Autonomous Behaviors: Modeling the Role of Autonomy in Achieving Sustainable Employment for Deaf Young Adults

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Abstract

Successfully obtaining employment is a pivotal developmental milestone for many young adults, yet for some, is beyond reach. Despite advances in accessibility legislation and academic attainment, deaf young adults in the United States continue to face underemployment and underpayment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of autonomy in the developmental process for deaf adolescents as they navigate the transition from adolescence to early adulthood and enter the workforce. A secondary analysis of a large-scale dataset, the second National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS2), was conducted to test a longitudinal model of how parental beliefs and attitudes contribute to autonomy development, and in turn, how autonomous orientations and actions exhibited by deaf youths contribute to employment outcomes. The findings indicate that autonomy plays a significant role in the transition towards sustainable employment for deaf young adults. Parental expectations emerged as important antecedents of autonomy development for deaf adolescents, contributing both to autonomous motivations and independent functioning. Deaf adolescents’ autonomy is linked to employment opportunities with greater opportunities for advancement and higher income, and thus offers the field a potential avenue for strengthening pathways towards sustainable employment for deaf individuals.

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Notes

  1. In this article, we use the term “deaf” to refer to the broad range of individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, late-deafened, or otherwise eligible for school-based services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, it should be noted that there are many other characteristics that are also included in our use of the term “deaf”, including use of sign language, identity within the Deaf community, use of different amplification methods including hearing aids and cochlear implants, and use of different language modalities in different settings.

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  1. College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, SZB 228, 1912 Speedway D4900, Austin, TX, 78712-1284, USA

    Carrie Lou Garberoglio, Sarah Schoffstall, Stephanie Cawthon, Mark Bond & Jacqueline M. Caemmerer

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  1. Carrie Lou Garberoglio
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Correspondence to Carrie Lou Garberoglio.

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Garberoglio, C.L., Schoffstall, S., Cawthon, S. et al. The Antecedents and Outcomes of Autonomous Behaviors: Modeling the Role of Autonomy in Achieving Sustainable Employment for Deaf Young Adults. J Dev Phys Disabil 29, 107–129 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-016-9492-2

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