Causes of Institutional Residence or Employment among Graduates from Special Needs High Schools for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan has formed a scientific research study group to clarify factors inhibiting social participation of persons with intellectual disabilities. We conducted the survey with the aim of identifying the causes preventing such participation. They were rated using the common international language in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health(ICF). Surveys were sent to the director of career guidance counseling in the high school sections of 451 special needs high schools nationwide, and valid responses were received from 227. Each school was asked to recall one graduate each randomly from among those employed or residing in institutions, and rate them on each of the ICF levels. The factors producing differences in the career path treatments for employment and institutional residence were then analyzed. The employed group of graduates had a mean score of no higher than 2 for any item evaluated by the ICF criteria.