Self-Determination in Autistic Transition-Aged Youth without Intellectual Disability

• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05280-6
• Publication Date: 2021-09-18T15:02:15Z
• Authors: Brianne Tomaszewski; Laura G. Klinger; Cara E. Pugliese
• Keywords: Adult; Adolescent; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Communication; 05 social sciences; Intellectual Disability; Personal Autonomy; Humans; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Autistic Disorder; Child; 10. No inequality; Aged

Self-determination refers to an individual's capacity and opportunities to act as a causal agent in their own lives to make choices, decisions, and set goals. The current study examined self- and parent-reports of the AIR Self-Determination Scale in transition-aged autistic youth (Based on stakeholder preferences, we use identity-first(autistic) or neutral language (on the autism spectrum) (Bottema-Beutel in JAMA 3:18-29, 2020)). Autistic youth completed depression and executive function measures, and parents rated their child's social-communication and executive function difficulties. Despite differences between youth and parent reports, both youth and their parents reported lower self-determination skills (capacity) than opportunities to practice self-determined behaviors. Both depression and executive function skills were related to self-determination capacity, highlighting potential intervention targets for transition-aged youth to facilitate increased self-determination and potentially improved adult outcomes.