Self-determination and the empowerment of people with disabilities

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The Importance of Self-Determination to the Quality of Life of People with Intellectual Disability: A Perspective

There is both an intuitive and theoretical link between self-determination and quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Theoretically, definitions of self-determination have framed the construct with regard to its contribution to a person’s overall quality of life, while theoretical frameworks of quality of life have included self-determination among the core dimensions contributing to enhanced quality of life. These theoretical linkages have been supported by research on the quality of life and self-determination of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the relationships between these constructs. This article provides an overview of theoretical frameworks of self-determination, their relationship with theoretical frameworks of quality of life, and research pertaining to these constructs with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is concluded that self-determination and quality of life are important constructs in designing supports that enable people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and that an important means to enhance the quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is to promote and enable people to be self-determined

The Future of Positive Psychology and Disability

For much of the history of the application of psychology to disability, the research and clinical focus of the field was deficits-oriented: documenting what people with disability could not do, proposing theories of why they could not do these things, creating measures to assess this incapacity and incompetence, and building interventions and treatments predicated on disease and pathology. It has been only in the last few decades that conceptualizations of disability allowed for consideration of strengths and positive attributes along with the presence of disability and only in the past two decades that a positive psychology of disability has emerged. This article will briefly summarize the factors that led to the emergence of a focus on the positive psychology of disability and a strength-based approach in the field, examine the state of knowledge and practice as it pertains to the positive psychology of disability, and will examine challenges that serve as barriers to progress in this area and opportunities for advancement. Among these is examining how “optimal human functioning” can be understood in ways that includes, and not excludes, people with disability. The importance of shifting the disability research and practice focus to emphasize flourishing, well-being, and self-determination of and for people with disability will be discussed, as well as the necessity for the field of positive psychology to more aggressively reach out to include people with disability among those populations whom the field values and includes

Self-determination, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace supports

This is the published version. Copyright 2003 IOS Press.This article introduces the special issue on self-determination and vocational rehabilitation by defining the selfdetermination construct and examining its relevance to vocational rehabilitation services

Introduction to Special Topic Issue on Self-Determination

Over the past two decades, promoting the self-determination of students with disabilities has become a best practice in secondary education and transition services (Wehmeyer, Abery, Mithaug, & Stancliffe, 2003; Wehmeyer, Agran, Hughes, Martin, Mithaug, & Palmer, 2007). Self-determination refers to self- (vs. other-) caused action—to people acting volitionally, based on their own will. Volition is the capability of conscious choice, decision, and intention. Self- determined behavior is volitional, self-caused or self-initiated action

A Randomized-Trial Evaluation of the Effect of Whose Future Is It Anyway? on Self-Determination

Promoting student involvement in planning has become best practice in the field of transition. Research documents the positive impact of such efforts on greater student involvement. Research also suggests that promoting student involvement results in greater student self-determination, but a causal link has not been established. This study used a randomized- trial, placebo control group design to study the impact of intervention with the Whose Future Is It Anyway? process on self-determination. The authors also examined the impact of intervention on transition knowledge and skills. Results indicated that instruction using the Whose Future Is It Anyway? process resulted in significant, positive differences in self- determination when compared with a placebo-control group and that students who received instruction gained transition knowledge and skills.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Centers for independent living and transition-age youth: Empowerment and self-determination

This is the published version. Copyright 2004 IOS PressAbstract. A primary function of centers for independent living is to empower individuals with disabilities and to support greater independence. These functions overlap with the purpose of transition planning for youth with disabilities, and it is increasingly evident that CILs can play an important role in such transition services. This article discusses the potential role of CILs in transition services for youth with disabilities, particularly in promoting self-determination, and provides an example of a program that CILs could replicate to achieve such outcomes

The Effect of a Traditional Ballet Barre Versus a Modified Ballet Barre on Flexibility, Ankle Stability, and Abdominal Strength & Endurance in Collegiate Dancers

The knowledge of dance science has led towards prioritizing the physical and mental health of the dancer while still preserving the art’s history. Previous research has revealed that safe practices in a dance class include a dynamic warm-up, less dependence on the barre itself, and withholding static stretching until the conclusion of the class. This study compared the effect of two different structures of ballet barre on the flexibility, ankle stability, and abdominal strength & endurance of collegiate dancers among three groups; traditional ballet barre (TBB), the dance science ballet barre (DScBB), and the control group. TBB (n=2) participated in a traditional ballet class which begins with plies, incorporates static stretching as part of the warm-up before dancers transition to centerwork, and using the ballet barre throughout the entire warm-up. DScBB (n=2) participated in a class taught based on dance science research including the absence of a ballet barre, a ballet specific dynamic warm-up, and withholding static stretching until the end of the class. Each class was taught once a week over Zoom for an 8-week period at a college intermediate level and maintained the same structure each week. Pre and post-testing was completed to measure hamstring flexibility, ankle stability, and abdominal strength & endurance. The Modified Sit and Reach Test was used to evaluate the flexibility of the hamstring muscles, and The Plantar Flexion Repetition Test measured ankle stability. The Plank Hold Test and the FitnessGram Curl Up Test were used to measure the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis endurance of the dancer. The results failed to reject the null hypothesis and were not statistically significant due to some restraints. There was a correlation between the DScBB and the abdominal strength & endurance of the dancers shown in the specific abdominal tests. Measured in the tests, the DScBB group’s abdominal strength & endurance increased, while the TBB decreased. Future studies should be done to provide ballet teachers with a barre structure that prioritizes the dancer’s physical health while preserving ballet’s history