Self-Determination as Conceptualized by Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in the Context of Family Relationships

The aim of this study was to determine how adolescent individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience and understand self-determination. The research was based on information obtained from individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. A total of fifteen people were enrolled in the study. The analytical method relied on open and axial coding performed by means of grounded theory methodology procedures. The study helped identify the personal characteristic of self-determination as understood by individuals with intellectual disabilities, indicating its processual character and the circumstances that affect its development. The results of this study indicate that participants perceived and understood self-determination as a pragmatic, situational, and interactive concept that is anchored in both their everyday lives and relationships with significant others.