What is it about?
Self-determination means people making their own choices and having a say in their own lives. Through interviews with six Saudi parents of individuals with intellectual disabilities aged 15 to 34, this study explores how parents think about and support self-determination in daily family life.
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Why is it important?
Parents valued self-determination but balanced it against protection, safety and family responsibility. They encouraged independence through structured choices, gradual skill-building and daily routines, while keeping control of higher-stakes decisions because of concerns about vulnerability and limited community support. The study calls for culturally responsive parent training, stronger school-family collaboration and more community opportunities that allow autonomy within safe environments.
Perspectives
Families play a central role in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia. I hope this study helps professionals work with parents to expand opportunities for choice and independence while respecting their concern for safety.
Prof Nizar H Bagadood
Umm Al-Qura University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Parents’ Perspectives on Self-Determination for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in Saudi Arabia, Behavioral Sciences, January 2026, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/bs16020192.
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