Self-determination in adolescents and young people with intellectual disabilities: The parents’ perspective

Abstract

Self-determination in people with disabilities is crucial for achieving their quality of life. Support given from families to their children depends to a large extent on the reinforcement of perceptions about self-determination. In that sense, this research aims to describe the opinion of parents of adolescents and young people with intellectual disabilities about this construct. Five focus groups were formed with 42 participants. The lexicometric analysis of the group interviews using Iramuteq software yielded four dimensions: autonomy; barriers in the family and the background; support and opportunities; psychological capabilities. Parents do not acknowledge the entire concept of self-determination. They associate it with autonomy for personal care and housework and, to a lesser extent, with community life. The family barriers are psychological: fear, overprotection, underestimation and lack of trust in the child’s capacity. This leads to less opportunity offer. They consider that society is poorly prepared to stimulate these processes. They feel the need to receive professional support directed to revise their beliefs, increase their knowledge and put into practice strategies to facilitate the achievement of self-determination in their children.