Social Capital and Developmental Disabilities: Interdependence to Promote Health

This dissertation describes three studies examining how people with developmental disabilities (DD) experience social capital from childhood to young adulthood. The first study follows PRISMA standards for scoping literature review to investigate social capital in DD research from childhood to emerging adulthood. Results describe social capital definition, measurement and application in DD research and identify gaps in the literature. The second study describes extracurricular activity (EA) participation of children with and without DD and the associations of childhood EA with mental health in young adulthood. Results show: differences in EA participation of children with and without DD; EA is associated with lower psychological distress and greater flourishing among people with and without DD. The third study uses photovoice to address the meaning of interdependence for college students with DD. Participants described their experiences using photos and stories. Themes included: openness to being helped, foundational role of families, experiencing new and challenging things, and tension between wanting to help and vulnerability of being a helper. Understanding social capital in the lives of people with DD can guide policies and supports, promoting improved quality of life. This research is a steppingstone toward a more inclusive and supportive society for people with DD.