Cultural Differences in the Relationship between Perceived Family Environments and Self-determination among Students with Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the potential role of cultural variables in the relationship between perceived family environments and levels of self-determination among students with disabilities. Participants were 190 Latino, African-American and Euro-American students with disabilities enrolled in six high schools within a large urban school district in the United States. Self-determination was measured using the Arc’s Self-Determination Scale (SDS, Wehmeyer & Kelchner, 1996). Students’ perceptions of their family environment were measured using seven subscales from the Family Environment Scale (FES, Moos & Moos, 2009) that reflected environments that are expected to nurture self-determination according to Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2007). The family environment subscales were statistically significant predictors of levels of self-determination, and suggested that cultural variables may moderate the relationship between family environments and self- determination. Implications for how parents and schools can enhance self-determination and successful transition among students with learning disabilities from different cultural groups are discussed.