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Self-determination is considered to be a basic human right which, to develop, demands contextual opportunities as well as individual competencies. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the family is the natural support environment in the task of increasing control over their own lives. There is little, however, that has been published in Spain on the needs and strengths of families in this regard. This article presents a study carried out in Spain on the knowledge, attitudes and strategies that a sample group of parents (N = 201) have regarding self-determination. An analysis of the data gathered highlights the need for intervention proposals to prepare parents to further their children's self-determination, through collaborative partnerships and through cognitive restructuring.

El concepto de calidad de vida nos permite valorar el bienestar de las personas con discapacidad intelectual y de sus familias, además de ajustar los apoyos a sus necesidades. De entre los dominios de calidad de vida descritos por los expertos, la autodeterminación tiene un papel central en el logro de una vida plena. En este artículo se presenta un estudio con una muestra de padres y madres (n = 40), a los que se les aplicó una entrevista semiestructurada, con la finalidad de evaluar de forma objetiva la calidad de vida de sus hijos. Se describen algunas de sus preocupaciones respecto a cada dominio de calidad de vida, especialmente sobre la autodeterminación. Los datos obtenidos indican que los padres aprecian un nivel aceptable de bienestar general en sus hijos, además de sentirse satisfechos con los avances personales y sociales conseguidos. No obstante, también identifican obstáculos que comprometen seriamente la calidad de vida tales como la falta de servicios para promover la participación social, el coste emocional y económico de la discapacidad, o la escasez de oportunidades para la autodeterminación. Estos resultados confirman la necesidad de diseñar y aplicar medidas, objetivas y subjetivas, sobre calidad de vida, para así identificar las áreas de mejora prioritarias y realizar los ajustes necesarios.

Background/Objective Adult Lower Secondary Education is an education program for basic qualifications for the labor market. Our study aimed to compare lifetime mental health problems between current Adult Lower Secondary Education students and higher Vocational Education students, as the former constitutes a highly distinct and understudied group. Methods Findings were based on a cross-sectional self-report survey. Lifetime relative odds of occurrence of mental disorders [i.e., psychiatric disorders typically diagnosed in adults, learning difficulties or deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)] were compared between Adult Lower Secondary Education students ( n = 134) and Vocational Education students ( n = 149). Results While the frequency of mental health problems was high in both groups, psychiatric disorders typically diagnosed in adults were more common in Adult Lower Secondary Education students than among other students. Vocational Education students reported higher rates of ADHD. Conclusion There is a need for additional psychological resources for Adult Lower Secondary Education students, an educational level that is the last path for many to acquire a basic degree.

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