Reports & Products: Fact Sheets

The Self-Determination of Youth with Disabilities (June 2005)

This fact sheet is available for download.

Highlights

NLTS2 investigated self-determination among 16- to 18-year-old with disabilities using items selected from the Arc's Self-Determination Scale. The majority of youth score in the medium or high ranges in the domains of personal autonomy, autonomy in career, and self-realization. Scores on psychological empowerment were in the medium and low ranges for the majority of youth.

The functional skills of youth generally were positively associated with self-determination domain scores. Youth with higher self-determination scores in several domains were more likely to be actively engaged in planning for their transition to adult life.

Suggested Citation

Facts from OSEP's National Longitudinal Studies: The self-determination of youth wtih disabilities (June 2005). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. Available at www.nlts2.org/fact_sheets/nlts2_fact_sheet_2005_06-2.pdf.