Abstract
The promotion of self-determination is crucial in the field of special education, particularly for children with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. However, little is known about the role parents play in fostering self-determination for their children with developmental disabilities outside of school. This study aims to assess the perspectives of parents in Fujian and Taiwan regarding the importance, opportunities, and capacity of self-determination. Additionally, we explore how factors such as geographic regions, children's disability categories, and grade levels influence parents' perspectives. We surveyed 404 parents of children with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder in Fujian Province and Taiwan. The results revealed that parents' perception of the importance of self determination affected how they provided opportunities for self-determination at home. Furthermore, parents who were more inclined to provide their children with opportunities for self-determination generally perceived their children's ability to exercise self-determination as higher. However, this correlation is influenced by the specific type of disability that the child has. The study also discovered that parental perspectives on the capacity of self-determination skills varied depending on the child's disability category and grade level. These findings suggest the need for further research on implementing self-determination at home, which should focus on: 1) Providing parents with accurate information about their children's self-determination abilities; 2) Developing effective strategies for promoting self-determination in students with disabilities, especially those with ID and ASD; and 3) Emphasizing the importance of teaching self-determination skills to children with disabilities at a young age through specially designed instructional programs.
https://ror.org/03t78wx29 
