Faith, Strength, and Support: Exploring Resilience in Special Education

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Education has estimated that about 7.3 million (or about 15%) public school students are currently enrolled in Special Education in the United States, and their enrollment has increased steadily over the past decade (U.S. Department of Education 2024). Students in Special Education can be labeled as ‘different’ and/or ‘disabled.’ These labels may be internalized by students, leading to lower self-esteem and experiencing symptoms of depression. My study aims to uncover the possible link between enrollment in Special Education and mental health in adolescence into emerging adulthood, and the differences for Black students and white students. I include resiliency factors (social support, religious attendance, and educational expectations), which may help to alleviate the stress that students experience from being labeled a ‘Sped kid’ in school. Although some school professionals working in the field of Special Education may use the term ‘Sped’ as a shortened way to refer to Special Education, the term ‘Sped’ can be especially offensive and demeaning when used referring to a person. Throughout this article, I use the term ‘Sped’ as a shortened version of Special Education programming in general and the term ‘Sped kid’ when used in reference to the negative labeling that some children in Special Education endure in school. Using national longitudinal data, my regression results suggest that enrollment in Special Education or having a learning disability is associated with lower self-esteem and higher levels of depressive symptoms in adolescence.