“I Have the Ability But. . .”: Understanding Self-Determination Expression in Young Adults With Autism

The aim of this study was to explore how self-determination is expressed in young people with autism, a scarcely studied area despite its importance. Focus groups were conducted with 28 young adults with autism without intellectual disability, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our findings highlight how the main characteristics associated with the three dimensions of self-determination are expressed in young adults with autism and the main barriers that they encounter in acting in a self-determined manner. Autonomy and self-knowledge stand as strengths in the expression of self-determination, and self-initiation and pathways thinking stand as weaknesses. This qualitative study provides an in-depth understanding of the expression of self-determination in young adults with autism and offers a first-person perspective on the construct. Supports for young people with autism should focus on promoting self-initiation and self-management skills, anticipating problems and barriers, and offering support for inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.