Stumbling Toward Independent Living: Participatory Action Research With Young Adults With Developmental Language Disorder

Abstract

In our increasingly paced society, a lot is expected from care-dependent people. In the Netherlands, everyone is expected to live independently with the help of their social network, but this has proven challenging. In the participatory action research project TOSKoploper, young adults with developmental language disorder (DLD) opened up about their struggles on their way to independent living, including keeping up with the pace at school and work as well as addressing traumatic experiences without family support. They prefer professional assistance in overcoming their problems, but their support needs are hardly acknowledged by professionals in the social domain. They call for people’s patience, appreciation, and support for their capabilities so that they can live an active social life.