CULTURAL VALUES AND PROMOTING SELF-DETERMINATION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AT HOME

Abstract

Increasing research supports self-determination as a potential predictor of successful outcomes for persons with disabilities. Research on self-determination in younger children, from the perspective of parents, and in relationship with cultural variables however, remains limited. This study investigated how 120 parents of children aged 7 to 12 years old with and without special educational needs (SEN) in Singapore rated the importance of and their children’s performance on seven self-determination skills, and their children’s capacity and opportunities for self-determination. There were no group differences for parents’ ratings of the importance of self-determination skills. Most (>64%) rated all the skills as “very important”. However, parents of children with Autism rated their children to be performing poorer in goal setting, self-advocacy and leadership and self-awareness and self-knowledge, and to have lower self-determination capacity, compared to children without SEN. In children with Autism, parents’ level of individualism had a positive and medium to strong correlation with performance of skills like choice making, decision making, goal setting, and self-advocacy and leadership. Self-determination is a relevant intervention target in supporting younger children with Autism and other SEN for parents in Singapore. Professionals should be aware that parents’ cultural beliefs can affect how self-determination skills are fostered.