Representation of Students of Color with Disabilities in Self-Determination Intervention Research

Self-determination is a critical outcome for students with disabilities. This population experiences inequitable in school and post-secondary outcomes as compared to peers without disabilities, which are magnified for students of color. This systematic review examined the proportion of students of color represented in self-determination intervention research for K-12 students with disabilities. A secondary aim was to determine whether culturally responsive adaptations were made to intervention design or delivery. A comprehensive search of records published in English between 1990, and June 2022 yielded 100 articles (101 studies). Nearly one-third of studies (34.6%) did not report participants’ race and ethnicity. Of the 66 studies that did, the greatest percentage of participants identified as White (49.9%). Four studies (3.96%) reported culturally responsive adaptations. The validity and generalizability of extant self-determination interventions for students of color with disabilities remains limited as students of color have not been equitably represented within self-determination intervention research.