An Intervention Program on Assisting Retention and Transition for the First-Year College Students With Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined outcomes of a transition intervention program (i.e., Engage 100 course) for college students with disabilities during their first-semester transition to postsecondary education through a longitudinal experimental research design. Fifty students, 14 in an experimental group and 36 in a control group, were recruited from a public university in the southeastern part of the United States. The findings revealed promising results in fostering social and academic integration, perceived support from friends and significant others, and mindfulness for participants in the experimental group. However, participants in the experimental group demonstrated lower scores in perceived support from family and self-esteem. Practical and research implications were discussed.