Research Summary 

Title: Correlates of sustained volunteering: Advocacy for students with disabilities  

Purpose: Little research has examined advocacy across the lifespan even though families report sustained advocacy roles. This review examined the literature about parent advocacy across the lifespan.   

Method: We conducted a literature review of articles about parent advocacy across the lifespan.   

Findings:  

• We found that parents consistently advocated for their offspring with disabilities beginning in early childhood and through adulthood.   
• Parent advocacy may increase around age 5 as students transition from preschool to kindergarten.  
• The need for, strategies to, and effects of advocacy vary over time.  

For more information, see:  

Burke, M.M., Patton, K.A., & Lee, C. (2016). Parent advocacy across the lifespan.  

International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities, 51, 193-231.