Table 3.

Themes and Sub-Themes Describing Participants’ Experiences during Transition to Adulthood.

Themes	Sub-Themes
1. Struggling with employment	Struggling with finding a job
	Challenges faced while working
2. Finding the meaning of "becoming an adult"	Trying to achieve what the common definition of “becoming and adult” means
	Struggling with relationships with family
	Exploring the meaning of “becoming an adult” for a person with spina bifida
3. Learning to implement self-management	Learning to implement self-management behaviors
	Learning to seek help when necessary
	Preparing environment for self-management
4. Proceeding with and worrying over adult health care	Feeling unprepared to transfer to adult health care
	Worrying over health status and receiving health care
5. Establishing and maintaining relationships with friends	Establishing friendships with peers who have a disability
	Maintaining relationships with peers in school and community
	Struggling to be involved in a romantic relationship
	Lack of peer support
6. Broadening scope of experiences	Creating opportunities by learning to get around on one’s own
	Barriers to broadening scope of experiences