Conference
American Physical Therapy Association Nebraska
Document Type
Poster
Date
4-11-2026
Abstract
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) experience disproportionately low employment rates despite expressing a strong desire for community integrated employment. This study examined whether discrepancies exist between the current work capacity of adolescents and young adults with IDDs and the physical exertion demands of their desired careers, and explored the role of physical therapy (PT) in addressing these gaps. Forty-five participants (ages 14–24) in the Nebraska EmployABILITY project identified their top career choice. PT‑assessed current work capacity was compared to the physical exertion requirements of the selected job using a standardized exertion scale. Differences were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, which yielded a significant result (p = .0000471), indicating that desired job demands typically exceed current capacity. Findings suggest that integrating PT into transition planning may help youth with IDDs build the functional capacity needed to meet job demands and improve access to competitive integrated employment.
Rights
The author holds the copyright to this work and any reuse or permissions must be obtained from the author directly.
Recommended Citation
Malick, Katelyn; Roberts, Delaney; Smith, Maria; Halz, Rhonda; and Woodruff Jameson, Anne, "Physical Therapy Assessment of Work Capacity Gaps in Transition-Aged Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" (2026). Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy. 56.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/cahp_pt_pres/56