CONCLUSION
This patient‐oriented, mixed methods study yielded novel insights about how youth with co‐occurring conditions develop competencies related to self‐care, self‐advocacy and self‐management in preparation for service transitions. It illuminated the impact of mental health comorbidities on transition readiness in youth with chronic conditions using TRAQ subscale scores and qualitative interviews. Our results suggest that while instruments like the TRAQ may be useful for examining a group's average transition readiness (e.g., in assessing an intervention designed to improve transition readiness), they should not be used to guide individual decisions in the absence of in‐depth conversations with youth. Individualized transition plans should be developed in partnership with youth to address their goals, mental health symptoms, coping strategies and available support.