Changes in social networks and psychosocial development of visually impaired adolescents and young adults: a longitudinal study

This project is a follow-up study of a project from 1994-1999. The objectives are:1. What is the influence of a visual impairment on quantitative and qualitative aspects of social networks? How does the social network change over time, including several transitions in living- and schoolsituations? 2. What is the influence of aspects of the social network on indicators of psychosocial adjustment of visually impaired adolescents and young adults? How is the psychosocial development of visually impaired adolescents in a period of 7 years, including several transitions in living- and schoolsituations? 3. What are the effects of integration processes?4. How satisfied are visually impaired adolescents with regard to the psychosocial support of institutions? 5. What are the perspectives of parents of visually impaired adolescents on child-rearing, psychosocial development and the role of their support?Approximately 300 participants, aged 14 to 24, of a national study from 1994-1999 indicated their willingness to participate in this follow-up study. All the questionnaires in the interviews, and the same method as in the previous study (computer assisted interviewing) will be used, expended with some new instruments. The former participants (N=300, now aged 21 to 31) will be interviewed for a second time. The data of wave 1 (1996) and wave 2 (2003) will be compared. Especially causal relations can be studied, and changes in networks and psychosocial development can be clarified (objectives 1, 2 and 3).Furthermore, the research will include the datacollection of 'new' participants aged 14 to 21, and their parents. The data of the new group will be analysed to answer the objectives 1 through 5. The results belonging to the two different cohorts (1996 and 2003) can be compared (to answer question 3).At the end of the project we plan to develop a screeninglist: "Landmarks of social network development". Meetings with a project group, composed of representatives of all institutions which work with visually impaired persons in our country, and a national conference in 2004/2005 will be organized during this project. In this way professionals of institutions are partners in our study.Innovative about this project is the longitudinal design. Furthermore, the analyse techniques and the computer assisted interviewing method are elements of innovation. Finally, this is the only nationwide study on psychosocial development including more then 300 visually impaired adolescents, cooperating with all the institutions for the visually impaired in our country.