Self-Determination and the Lived Experience of Employed Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

Literature reveals that self-determination is a critical predictor of employment at the post-secondary level for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). However, current research concerning self-determination in the post-secondary work of individuals with ID is scarce and primarily focused on the perspectives of parents or educators or has been driven by evaluating learning models of self-determination. Furthermore, individuals with ID were not adequately represented as participants in the current research, and their voices were not given the opportunity to be heard. Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the lived experience of six Saudi employed adults with mild ID who received interventions toward self-determination during the transition planning in high school by using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. To better answer the research questions, data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed based on the principles of the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. Five significant findings emerged from the explored accounts: (a) Individuals with ID understand self-determination through their cultural contexts, (b) the applicability of self-determination is related to the implementation period and environmental factors, (c) problem-solving skill is more relevant to work settings, (d) self-determination is subject to adjustment and development through practice, and (e) directed self-determination training toward work produces better results.