A Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Promote Self-Determination for Students With Disabilities

By developing skills associated with self-determination such as choice-making, decision-making, problem solving, goal setting and attainment, planning, self-management, self-advocacy, self-awareness, and self-knowledge, students with disabilities are better prepared to make purposeful decisions and choices.

We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature on interventions to promote self-determination and associated skills with students with disabilities in the school context. We analyzed the types of interventions, populations of students with whom they were implemented, outcomes, and rigor of research. Results demonstrated that interventions to promote self-determination can be effective for students across grade levels, disability labels, and settings.