Components of Self-Determination
Source: Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall
Topics: Motivation and Achievement, Learning Disabilities Overview
Behavioral Autonomy—progression from dependence to self-care and self-direction
- Choice-making skills: select from among alternatives based on preferences
- Decision-making skills: weigh adequacy of various solutions
- Problem-solving skills: respond in order to function effectively in one's environment
- Goal-setting/attainment skills: develop goals and perform necessary actions
- Independence, risk-taking, and safety skills: perform tasks without help
Self-Regulated Behavior—decide to plan, act, evaluate, and revise plans as needed
- Goal-setting/attainment skills: develop goals and perform necessary actions
- Self-observation, evaluation, and reinforcement skills: access, observe, and record what you discover
- Self-instruction skills: self-talk to provide prompts for problem solving
- Self-advocacy skills: speak up to defend oneself, a cause, or a person
Psychological Empowerment—internal locus of control, self-efficacy, outcome expectations
- Internal locus of control: belief that one has control over critical outcomes
- Positive attributions of efficacy/outcome expectancy: behavior leads to expectations
Self-Realization—accurate knowledge of individual strengths and needs, along with the ability to act in a manner that capitalizes on that knowledge
- Self-awareness: basic understanding of one's strengths, needs, and abilities
- Self-evaluation: ability to use/apply personal insights to real-world settings
Excerpt from Learning Disabilities: Characteristics, Identification, and Teaching Strategies, by W.N. Bender, 2008 edition, p. 120.
© 2008, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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