Work

Assessing Self‐Determination: International Efforts to Translate the Self‐Determination Inventory

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Promoting self‐determination has become an area of focus across the globe because of advocacy, policy, and research highlighting its role in improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. There have also been advancements in theories and research focused on how self‐determination is defined and supported across cultures. In this article, we explore information shared by a group of international translation teams working to translate an assessment of self‐determination, the Self‐Determination Inventory (SDI), and the theory that underlies the assessment, Casual Agency Theory, from American English. Findings suggest universal and context‐specific issues that impact translation and variation in the familiarity and contextual fit of self‐determination and Casual Agency Theory constructs across cultures. Implications for research focused on developing and translating new theories and constructs across cultures to promote cross‐cultural validity are discussed.

Source: Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities

DOI: 10.1111/jppi.70070