Identifying the Correlates of Individual, Peer and Systemic Advocacy Among Parents of Children with Disabilities Who are Interested in Civic Engagement

Abstract

Parent advocacy is often critical for families of individuals with disabilities. Prior research has suggested that parent advocacy occurs across three levels: individual, peer, and systemic. Yet, little empirical research has identified the correlates of advocacy for each level. For this study, we examined the survey responses of 246 parents of individuals with disabilities who were interested in participating in a legislative advocacy program. Analyses included hierarchical regressions to identify the correlates of individual, peer, and systemic advocacy. Parents of children with autism were significantly more likely to engage in individual advocacy. Parents who identified as Black (versus other racial groups) advocated significantly more on a systemic level. Further, malleable factors such as empowerment and motivation correlated positively with advocacy. Implications for research and practice are discussed.