Congratulations to Patrice Joan Dobies who on Monday, April 13, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation.
The title of Patrice’s dissertation is: "THE EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE OR PROHIBIT PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES FROM ACCESSING A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION PROCESS."
Overview of Problem: The transition from school to adulthood is a critical period for students with disabilities, particularly for students with significant disabilities and the parents who support them. For many parents, the greatest challenge begins when their child leaves the entitlement-based school system and enters the adult-service world, where supports such as Medicaid, SSI, and OPWDD depend on eligibility, applications, and complex procedural requirements.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative research is to understand the experiences of parents attempting to create a successful transition for their children with significant disabilities as they enter adult services within New York State. This study will help to identify experiences that are helpful and those that impose a hindrance to parents as they try to obtain adult services for their disabled children ages 22-27 when they leave the school district setting. This research was viewed through Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Influences.
Research Design: The study employed a qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews to examine parents’ perceptions, expectations, helpful services, and barriers related to the transition from school-based services to adult services.
Sample: The 14 participants were parents of young adults between the ages of 22–27 who have been diagnosed with autism, intellectual disabilities, or multiple developmental disabilities.
Data Collection and Analysis: A qualitative data analysis approach was employed to examine parental experiences in assisting young adults with significant disabilities during the transition from high school to adult services.
Findings/Results: This study found that parents of young adults with significant disabilities often experienced the transition from school services to adult services as complex, inconsistent, and emotionally demanding.
Conclusions/Implications: The study finds that the transition from school-based services to adult services for young adults with significant disabilities is frequently inconsistent and fragmented, relying heavily on parental persistence, self-education, and informal support networks. Parents reported considerable variation in the quality of school support, staff expertise, communication, and collaboration with adult-service agencies. These findings indicate that transition outcomes are influenced by district practices, staff expertise, access to information, and the effectiveness of parent advocacy and networking.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR(S):
Dr. Peter F. Troiano
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):
Dr. Robert Fierson
Dr. Pavan Antony
Take Your Career to the Next Level
Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.
Learn to Inspire Change
The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.
