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The present study explored whether adolescents with (N = 183) and without (N = 320) physical disabilities (PD) differed in their perceived attainment of 12 agetypical developmental tasks. We were also interested in whether the success varied according to the extent of motoric restriction. The groups differed in the perceived attainment of three out of 12 tasks. Adolescents with physical impairments perceived lower levels of success than their peers without PD with regard to peer-group integration, but higher levels of success in gaining academic competence and autonomy from parents. Their higher perceived autonomy was explained by the fact that many students with disabilities did not live with their parents during the school term. Higher severity of disability was associated with lower perceived attainment in five developmental tasks (autonomy development, development of realistic self-perception, development of romantic relationships, gender-role awareness, sociopolitical awareness). The results indicate that many young people with a PD, and those with low physical restrictions in particular, demonstrate substantial resilience and are as successful as their peers without disabilities in accomplishing their developmental tasks. Interventions aimed at promoting the attainment of developmental tasks are recommended for adolescents with severe disabilities.A physical disability (PD) can be defined as a condition where a person experiences significant deviation or loss in their body function or structure that results in limitations in physical activity (World Health Organization 2001). According to official statistics, 0.3 % of German school students were classified as having a PD in 2012 with 74 % of J Dev Phys Disabil (2015) 27:773-787

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