Trends in disability prevalence among young people: Insights from the Growing Up in Ireland Study

Background to the study

This report draws on analyses of the two cohorts of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study to examine trends in the prevalence of disability among 13-year-olds over the decade 2011/2012 to 2021/2022. The report looks at changes over time in the size and composition of those with a long-lasting condition (LLC) or disability, at the presence of socio-emotional difficulties and/or depressive symptoms among these groups, and at a range of adolescent outcomes.

The prevalence of long-lasting conditions and disability

The prevalence of disability is highly dependent on the definitions and measures used. As a result, changes in the measures used in GUI between cohorts, and between survey waves within cohorts, make it challenging to provide comparable estimates of the level and nature of disability over time. Nonetheless, GUI data offer the most comprehensive information on the experience of disability among young people in Ireland.

In this report, a distinction is drawn between young people with a long-lasting condition or illness who are not hampered by that condition (termed ‘non-hampered LLC’) and the group of young people who are hampered, at least to some extent, by that condition, for whom we use the term disability. Based on mother reports, the proportion of 13-year-olds with any LLC has increased from 24 per cent for Cohort ’98 to 36 per cent for Cohort ’08. The proportion of the total cohort who had received at least one diagnosis of a condition or disability grew from 16 per cent for Cohort ’98 to 31 per cent for Cohort ’08. The group with a disability (i.e. those who are hampered by a condition) increased from 6 per cent for Cohort ’98 to 23 per cent for Cohort ’08. This estimate is higher than figures from Census 2022, which used a different definition and where 14 per cent of 13-year-olds were reported to have a disability. The GUI data show a growth in the prevalence of disability and LLCs among all social groups over the period, though a shift in the gender composition is evident, with girls now as likely as boys to have an LLC or disability.

Changes in the classification of types of conditions, and small numbers in several groups, make it difficult to identify which particular conditions are driving the overall increase. Among those with an LLC, there is an increase in both respiratory and behavioural difficulties, the largest groups, over time. The increase is particularly marked for behavioural difficulties, growing from 1 to 17 per cent between cohorts at age 13. Respiratory problems increased but to a much lower level – from 3 to 5 per cent. Focusing on those with a disability only (that is, those who are hampered by that condition), the proportion with an emotional/behavioural difficulty has increased from 1.1 per cent of the total cohort in Cohort ’98 to 13.5 per cent in Cohort ’08.

Disability, health and wellbeing

Mothers were asked about the general health of their children, distinguishing between those who were very healthy and those who had at least some health problems. In both cohorts, health problems are more prevalent among those with an LLC or disability. Health problems are particularly prevalent among those with a disability but it should be noted that around four in ten of those who are hampered by a disability are not reported to have health problems. Socio-emotional difficulties have increased over time among those with a disability, indicating no diminution of need among the group. In addition, depression scores are found to have increased over time for girls with a disability. In contrast, those who have an LLC but are not hampered by it have become more like the non-LLC/disability group over time in their mental health and wellbeing. This suggests that there may now be greater identification of LLCs that do not generally hamper the lives of young people.

Disability and adolescent outcomes

Clear differences in adolescent outcomes at age 13 by disability status are evident: young people with an LLC or disability have more conflictual relationships with their parents, smaller peer networks, greater difficulties interacting with peers, less involvement in organised sports and more negative attitudes to school compared to their peers. Across most of the outcomes explored, there remains a substantial gap between those with a disability and those without an LLC/disability in the younger cohort. However, for several of these outcomes, the difference between those with an LLC who are not hampered by it and those without an LLC/disability narrows over time.

Growing numbers of people with an LLC or disability may reflect greater identification of conditions over time or greater need among the population. The findings on wellbeing and other outcomes suggest that both factors are at play. Those not hampered by their condition (non-hampered LLC) come to more closely resemble those without any condition over time in their outcomes, suggesting increased identification of certain conditions. At the same time, however, there is evidence of growing need among those described as having a disability, with increased socio-emotional difficulties and (among girls) depression levels.

Implications for policy

The study findings point to a significant growth over time in the proportion of 13-year-olds reported to have an LLC or disability. This has consequences for the supports required to enable full inclusion. The most commonly reported difficulties among those with a disability now relate to physical impairment and difficulties learning, remembering or concentrating, with these impairments having different implications in terms of the resources and supports required. There has been a good deal of policy development in relation to provision for children and young people with a disability, including a greater focus on assessment of need in the early years, a change in the funding allocation model to schools to address special educational needs (SEN), and the marked growth of special classrooms in mainstream schools. While there is now much greater recognition of the need for more inclusive practice, the findings point to a number of areas for further policy development, spanning the areas of education, health, family support and recreational facilities. These include but are not limited to: the targeting of parenting supports towards families of children and teenagers with a disability to help reduce levels of parent–child conflict; school-based efforts to promote social integration with peers and to facilitate improved school engagement; and inclusive practice in out-of-school sport.