What Do Young Korean Adults Labeled With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Have to Say About Important Things in Their Adult Lives?

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 2:30 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Charting the Contours of Transition: Exploring Postsecondary Possibilities for People Who Identify as Disabled (Table 5)

Abstract

This research aims to explore what Korean young adults labeled with intellectual and developmental disabilities perceive as important parts of their lives, and to show their adult agencies, dilemmas and the cultural impact on their adulthood. The researcher interviewed nineteen participants with IDD in South Korea, ranging in age from nineteen to thirty-four years. A semi-structured qualitative interview was conducted to collect data. The data were collapsed into eleven broad categories: money, hobbies, ethical values, family, positive attitude toward life, behavioral norms, work, health, housing, food/cooking, and personal belongings. Unlike previous studies, the participants labeled with IDD emphasized behavioral norms and had a more family-oriented view, while there was an absence of discourse on autonomy and intimate relationships.

Authors

• Eunyoung Jung, SUNY - College at Cortland

• Ji-Ryun Kim, SUNY - College at Cortland