The characteristics, experiences, and outcomes of youth with emotional disturbances

picture of the lives of youth with disabilities in their high school years and in their transition to early adulthood. NLTS analyses from the early 1990s showed tremendous variation across disability categories in the experiences and achieve-ments of youth, yet the outcomes of youth in the primary disability category of emotional disturbance (ED) were found to be “particularly troubling ” (Wagner et al., 1991, p. 11:3). Youth with ED demonstrated a pattern of disconnected-ness from school, academic failure, poor social adjustment, and criminal justice system involvement, although there were positive findings regarding other aspects of their lives, such as employment (Wagner, 1995). The potential social costs of poor outcomes among these youth spurred new policies, programs, and interventions to improve their prospects for a success-ful transition to adulthood. A National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for Children and Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (Chesapeake Institute, 1994) was one reflection of that increased national attention, as were amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) i