Exploring the lived experiences of ethnic minority youth with disabilities: a systematic review and meta synthesis of qualitative data

Racial and ethnic minority youth with disabilities often encounter more challenges and poorer health, social and vocational outcomes compared to white youth and yet, relatively little is known about their lived experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of ethnic minority youth and young adults with disabilities. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative data with eight international databases assessed by four reviewers. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, which involved 373 youth and young adults, across four countries over a 20-year period. We identified the following themes: (1) accessing and navigating services (i.e., environmental barriers; lack of supports, resources and information); (2) perceptions of disability (i.e., cultural adjustment and tensions between cultures; differing priorities for independence); (3) systemic factors (i.e., language and communication; stigma, discrimination and racism); (4) coping (i.e., reframing; and family involvement and support); and (5) intersectionality (i.e., disability, race and ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status). Our findings highlight how racial and ethnic minority youth with disabilities encounter many challenges in dealing with their condition and the urgent need for further research to develop a deeper understanding of their needs so that clinicians and service providers can enhance supports.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONRacial and ethnic minority youth with disabilities encounter different challenges than other youth, such as cultural adjustment, racism and culturally inappropriate services.Clinicians and service providers should be cognizant that ethnic minority youth may need different supports and resources as they grapple with tensions between cultures.Clinicians, educators and service providers should consider the complexity of how disability interacts with many other factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status. Racial and ethnic minority youth with disabilities encounter different challenges than other youth, such as cultural adjustment, racism and culturally inappropriate services. Clinicians and service providers should be cognizant that ethnic minority youth may need different supports and resources as they grapple with tensions between cultures. Clinicians, educators and service providers should consider the complexity of how disability interacts with many other factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status.

与白人青年相比，残疾少数族裔青年往往面临更多挑战，健康、社交与职业结局更差，但目前学界对其生活体验的认知仍相对匮乏。本研究旨在探索残疾少数族裔青年与年轻成人的经历。研究团队对8个国际数据库的定性数据开展了系统综述（systematic review），由4名评审员独立评估。最终纳入21项符合纳入标准（inclusion criteria）的研究，覆盖4个国家、20年研究周期内的373名青年与年轻成人。本研究提炼出以下5个核心主题：（1）服务获取与对接（即环境障碍、支持资源与信息匮乏）；（2）残疾认知（即文化适应与文化间张力、独立性优先级差异）；（3）系统性因素（即语言与沟通障碍、污名、歧视与种族主义）；（4）应对策略（即认知重构、家庭参与与支持）；（5）交叉性（intersectionality）：残疾、种族族裔、性别与社会经济地位的交互作用。研究结果凸显了残疾少数族裔青年在应对自身疾患时面临的多重挑战，亟需开展进一步研究以深入明晰其需求，助力临床医师与服务提供者优化支持措施。

康复实践启示
残疾少数族裔青年面临的挑战与其他青年存在显著差异，包括文化适应、种族主义及文化不适配的服务供给。临床医师与服务提供者应意识到，少数族裔青年在应对文化间张力时，可能需要差异化的支持与资源。临床医师、教育工作者与服务提供者应充分考量残疾与种族、族裔、性别及社会经济地位等多因素交互作用的复杂性。残疾少数族裔青年面临的挑战与其他青年存在显著差异，包括文化适应、种族主义及文化不适配的服务供给。临床医师与服务提供者应意识到，少数族裔青年在应对文化间张力时，可能需要差异化的支持与资源。临床医师、教育工作者与服务提供者应充分考量残疾与种族、族裔、性别及社会经济地位等多因素交互作用的复杂性。