Hispanic Mothers' Perceptions of Self-Determination

Abstract

Limited research has explored the perceptions of self-determination held by diverse families. In this study, seven mothers of transition-age youth with severe disabilities who were Hispanic were interviewed. Each mother was actively engaged in advocacy related to diverse children with disabilities in their local schools and communities. Mothers were asked about the role that self-determined behavior played in their family, their perceptions of the influence of culture on self-determination, and how they perceived self-determined behavior being operationalized in schools. Themes emerged from the interviews and were grouped into five categories: Defining self-determination, creating opportunities for self-determination, goals for the future, cultural influences, and school–family conflicts. Mothers felt that self-determination was important for their children but described differences in the ways that they operationalized self-determined behavior in the home. These differences led to conflicts between activities at home and at school, and the mothers by and large felt their cultural values were disregarded or disrespected when working with professionals to set goals for the future. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.