Immigrant Families' Perceptions of Fostering Their Preschoolers' Foundational Skills for Self-Determination

Abstract

AbstractSupporting the development of students' self-determination, or ability to act volitionally in order to be the primary causal agent in one's life, is one way to increase students' success in inclusive educational environments. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of immigrant families toward the concepts of self-determination and, in particular, the skills that young children with disabilities may need as a foundation for future self-determination. In this qualitative interview study, we examined 10 immigrant families' perceptions of the importance of fostering their preschool children's development of foundational skills leading to later self-determination (i.e., choice-making, engagement, and self-regulation), their roles in doing so, and factors that affected their intentional fostering of these skills. Findings showed that participants valued fostering these skills in general but espoused a variety of perceptions of their roles in doing so. Factors affecting families' intentional fostering of these skills included stress related to finances, social isolation, parenting style, family systems, school and home incongruence, and a desire to protect children. Implications for inclusive practice and research are discussed.