Exploring influences of mesosystem factors on self-determination of Romanian students: The mediating role of students’ perceptions of opportunities

Abstract

Background Recognizing the decisive role of self-determination in improving the academic, socio-emotional, and vocational performances of young people with disabilities has directed research in highlighting influences manifested in the educational environments and family contexts that lead to the increase of self-determining behaviors and abilities. In the Romanian disability research context, there is a lack of studies dedicated to examining the role of mediators of the mesosystem factors which are specific to the educational school context and the family environments in enhancing students’ self-determination actions, abilities, and attitudes. Methods The purpose of the present study is to explore the patterns of the relationships, in terms of direct and indirect effects among the influence of opportunities from the Romanian school and family environment on disability labels and self-determination components, in terms of behaviors and skills related to autonomy, empowerment, and self-realization. The adapted ARC’s Self-Determination for Romanian students and the preliminary version of the adapted AIR Self-Determination Scale, student form were administered to a number of 212 Romanian students without and with support needs consecutive to intellectual disability and learning disabilities. Results The disability labels predicted the students’ abilities to identify opportunities for learning and the expression of self-determining behaviors and abilities. The opportunities created in Romanian educational settings and family environments predicted behaviors specific to autonomy and global self-determination. The opportunities at school mediate the relationship between disability labels and self-determination, as well as the relationship between disability labels and autonomy. Conclusion The study findings highlighted significant aspects of how Romanian students perceive the opportunities for self-determination in educational settings and in the family environment. Directions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.