Project Description:
Need: Disability too often is assumed to be the sole condition impacting an individuals functioning, leading to other domains of functioning being overlooked, particularly, mental health functioning (Mason & Scior, 2004). The literature is clear about the negative impact of the consistent overlook in health care of the dynamic needs of individuals with disabilities, especially developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability or autism (Krahn, Hammond, & Turner, 2006).
Overall goals and objectives: Aim 1: Understand the relationship between self-determination (both broadly as well as domain-specific) and mental
health symptoms (internalizing, externalizing, adaptive skills) in a clinical population of teens/young adults with or
without developmental disabilities (i.e., intellectual disability or autism), seeking therapy services.
Research Question 1.1: To what extent does disability status influence the relationship between mental health
symptomatology and self-determination ratings for youth?
Aim 2: Understand potential gender differences in relationships between self-determination and mental health
variables among teen/young adult males/females with/without developmental disabilities and mental health
symptomatology.
Research Question 2.1: To what extent does gender influence the relationship between mental health symptomatology
and self-determination ratings for youth?
Self-determination is a psychological construct of motivation indicating the degree to which
an individual experiences the combination of autonomy, mastery and purpose that connects one to the larger social
world (Ryan & Deci, 2017). The field of psychology is just beginning to understand and further investigate how the
components of self-determination can impact adults with mental health conditions (Jochems, et al 2016). Selfdetermination
has been increasingly studied over the past two decades with and for people with developmental
disabilities (Wehmeyer, 2020). In the disability context, self-determination means acting as a causal agent in ones life,
setting goals, belief that one can reach those goals, and understanding the pathways towards which one reaches those
goals (Shogren et al 2015). Self-determination Theory (SDT) has been operationalized in the form of Causal Agency
Theory (CAT) which serves as a framework by which to study the developmental of self-determination over the life
course (Shogren et al, 2015). Encouraging data is emerging on the impact of instruction in functional application of the
tenets of CAT with students with and without disabilities in the educational setting, impacting self-determination, of
which higher levels are associated with better quality of life and educational outcomes (Wehmeyer, 2020). However,
much of our understanding of self-determination and its impact on functioning is known from an educational context;
thus, work is needed to study these constructs within the psychoeducational domain, and in the context of
psychotherapeutic work.
SDT and CAT align with elements of positive psychology (Shogren, Lopez, Wehmeyer & Little, 2006), but work is
needed to better understand the development of self-determination in youth without disabilities, as well as to better
understand psychological constructs such as self-regulation in individuals with and without developmental disabilities
(Shogren et al, 2006). This project supports this work to understand the relationship for young people betweentheir disability characteristics, the expression of self-determination, and mental health support needs. Such work is highly innovative, as these parallel lines of work have never been put together to promote positive outcomes for people with developmental disabilities.
Expected Benefits: Better understanding the complex interplay between mental health and self-determination during this time
frame could enable intervention to support and buffer against the effect of disability, leading to optimal functioning
for this population.
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
