Research In Focus is a weekly publication featuring reader-friendly summaries of the latest research from NIDILRR-funded projects. Each installment presents you with an overview of a recently-published NIDILRR-funded study, highlighting important findings, and discussing implications or directions for future research. This could be a starting point to learn more about the intervention, technology, or program. We hand-select the articles from our diverse library collections, aiming to broadly cover interesting research in many areas of disability, various types of intervention, and a wide range of age spectrum from early childhood to aging with and into disability. To be alerted to new articles, sign up for our weekly email newsletter News and Notes from the NIDILRR Community and Beyond! These articles are also available in Spanish. Are you a NIDILRR grantee? Learn how to recommend your recent study for an upcoming issue.
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Up to 1 in 59 children has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children with ASD may have difficulties learning to read, due to challenges with language processing. Learning to visually recognize common words, or “sight words,” is an important skill for all... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Women with physical disabilities are about as likely to become mothers as similar-aged women without disabilities. Mothers with physical disabilities may need to use adaptations in order to care for their young children. For example, they may use assistive technology or adaptations in technique or equipment in order to... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Autism is a developmental disability that affects how people communicate and process information. Children with autism may need specialized services to help them learn to express themselves, regulate their emotions, and master independent living skills. Families of children with autism may find it challenging and... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
About 4.1 million Americans with disabilities are parenting children under age 18, according to the National Center for Parents with Disabilities. Parents with disabilities and their children may encounter misconceptions or negative attitudes such as stigma from members of the public. In particular, some people may... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
People with serious mental illnesses have conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia that are associated with decreased participation in everyday activities. Past studies have found that about 5% of adults in the United States experience a serious mental illness at some point in their lives.... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage anywhere along the spinal cord from an accident or other trauma. People with SCI may have partial or total paralysis, especially in their leg muscles. Robotic exoskeletons are wearable devices that provide hip and knee motion with an external power source, allowing the user to stand... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
People with psychiatric disabilities may have conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Studies have shown that employment rates are low among people with psychiatric disabilities and they are often stereotyped as unable to work. Over time, people with psychiatric disabilities themselves may... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption of normal brain function from an external force, such as a fall or a car accident. Many people with TBI spend some time in a hospital and then transition to a rehabilitation center for therapies. People with a severe TBI may experience disorders of consciousness, such as a... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Many young adults with disabilities, like their peers without disabilities, wish to find jobs in their communities after graduating from high school. Under federal law, teens and young adults with disabilities are entitled to receive “transition services” from their schools and community agencies to help them and their... Read this article
A study funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Muscle and joint conditions such as arthritis, lupus, or fibromyalgia may result in long-lasting pain and disability. According to recent studies, people with those conditions may have difficulty keeping jobs if their symptoms make it hard to get to and from work or to perform work-related activities, such as walking,... Read this article
The contents of NARIC web site were developed under a contract from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (contract #GS-06F-0726Z). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the NIDILRR, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government
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