Preparing for Life Beyond School. A Moderated Mediation Approach from the Perspective of Self-Determination, Self-Concept, Student Transition Planning, and Life Skills Development

https://doi.org/10.55549/ijasse.4

Abstract

The link between self-determination and life skills development, a crucial ability for the vocational future and career advancement of students with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities, has been explored in limited research. The present study aims to examine the patterns of relationships in terms of direct and conditional indirect effects on self-determination, life skills development, self-concept, and student transition planning regarding students with intellectual disabilities. The data were collected using standardized instruments from 304 adolescents with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. The outcomes showed that self-concept has a moderating role in the relationship between self-determination and student transition planning. The study findings indicated that student transition planning mediates the relationship between self-determination and life skills development. The value of the index of moderated mediation indicated that self-concept moderated the conditional indirect effect of student transition planning on the relationship between self-determination and life skills. Future research and implications for practice are discussed.