Self-Determination in People with Intellectual Disability: The Mediating Role of Opportunities

Eva Vicente, Cristina Mumbardó-Adam, Verónica M. Guillén, Teresa Coma-Roselló, María-Ángeles Bravo-Álvarez and Sergio Sánchez
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Eva Vicente: Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C./Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Cristina Mumbardó-Adam: Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies, Open University of Catalonia, Rambla del Poblenou, 156, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Verónica M. Guillén: Department of Education, University of Cantabria, Av./de los Castros, 52, 39005 Santander, Spain
Teresa Coma-Roselló: Department of Education, University of Zaragoza, C./Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
María-Ángeles Bravo-Álvarez: Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C./Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Sergio Sánchez: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C./Francisco Tomas y Valiente, 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-15

Abstract: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have proclaimed the basic right of people to make one’s own choices, have an effective participation and inclusion. Research in the field of disability have stressed self-determination as a key construct because of its impact on their quality of life and the achievement of desired educational and adulthood related outcomes. Self-determination development must be promoted through specific strategies and especially, by providing tailored opportunities to practice those skills. Providing these opportunities across environments could be especially relevant as a facilitator of self-determination development. This manuscript aims to ascertain if opportunities at home and in the community to engage in self-determined actions are mediating the relationship between people intellectual disability level and their self-determination. Results have confirmed direct effects of intellectual disability level on self-determination scores. Indirect effects also predicted self-determination and almost all its related components (self-initiation, self-direction, self-regulation, self-realization, and empowerment) through opportunities in the community and at home. Autonomy was predicted by the intellectual disability level through an indirect effect of opportunities at home, but not in the community. These results highlight the need for further research to better operationalize and promote contextually rooted opportunities for people with intellectual disability to become more self-determined.

Keywords: intellectual disability; self-determination; opportunities; mediation analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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