Self-Determination in Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum and Intellectual Disability

Self-determination is a key construct that plays a vital role in adolescents’ transition to adulthood and achievement of desired post-school outcomes. The concept’s evolution is traced from initial theories that focused on functional aspects and learning to the contemporary causal agency theory, which positions self-determination as the outcome of volitional, agentic actions, and action-control beliefs. This chapter explores how various stakeholders, including educators, parents, and the adolescents themselves, perceive self-determination and how individual and environmental factors contribute to its development for adolescents on the autism spectrum and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). Key factors examined include intellectual functioning, autism severity, communication skills, and dispositional traits such as self-efficacy and self-concept, alongside the impact of transition empowerment, knowledge, and the supportive roles of family and school environments. Through a review of systematic studies and empirical research, significant gaps are identified, particularly in understanding how educational interventions and supports across settings affect self-determination among autism and ID populations. We call for further research to delineate the mechanisms through which family empowerment and educational supports promote self-determination and to evaluate interventions designed specifically for those with co-occurring diagnoses. Advocating for a socio-ecological approach, we suggest that enhancing self-determination requires interventions targeting both individual capacities and environmental supports, aiming for holistic support and development of self-determination among autistic youth and youth with ID.