Self-determination assessment and promotion in Spanish higher education students: current situation and future challenges

Self-determination development has traditionally been related with an increased access to the general education curriculum, as well as with post-secondary and quality of life outcomes in young adults with disabilities. In Spain, researchers have been studying higher education students with and without disabilities’ levels of self-determination and variables and factors related to self-determination development. They have also endeavored to improve educators’ practices both by promoting assessment and intervention tools for practitioners, and by inquiring on their needs and barriers in their workplaces to implement self-determination teaching strategies. Other studies have also explored families’ and young people with disabilities’ perspectives and attributed importance toward self-determination. However, and despite the amount of research done, further research is needed to address current challenges in self-determination operationalization, assessment, and intervention. For instance, little is known in Spain on how to promote self-determination in young people without disabilities or with a disability different from intellectual disability such as autism spectrum disorder. Also, we still do not have specific instruments to assess self-determination in young people and adults with other developmental disabilities. Further, to date there are few interventions targeting self-determination development achieved in the Spanish context, and those few all focus on adults with intellectual disability. The main aim of this chapter is thus to depict the current situation of research in self-determination promotion and assessment in Spain and to trace future challenges that both researchers and practitioners will need to handle.