Data collection is
underway for a project to gain a comprehensive understanding of the
decision-making capabilities of younger and older male and female
adolescents with intellectual disabilities so that this information can
be applied in the development of evidence-based instructional units (in
a subsequent study) aimed at addressing key aspects of the New York
State Career Development and Occupational Studies Commencement Level
Learning Standards 1 and 3a. The study is designed to provide a
comprehensive picture of the adolescents’ personal and interpersonal
decision- making performance in a variety of vocationally-relevant
situations. The adolescents will also be assessed on the types of
strategies they typically employ when making important decisions and on
related measures of motivation (goal priorities and self-efficacy). Our
review of the relevant literature suggests that the life stage of
adolescence may be a critical period of change and development in
decision making where effective interventions can have wide-ranging
benefits (Khemka & Hickson, 2006). This ongoing research project is
designed to address the following objectives:
Objective 1. Gain
a comprehensive picture of the decision-making capabilities of younger
and older male and female adolescents with intellectual disabilities in
a wide range of vocationally-relevant situations.
Objective 2.
Establish the psychometric properties of a set of assessment
instruments designed to tap various aspects of decision-making
proficiency and related skills in vocationally-relevant contexts.
For additional information, contact oopd@columbia.edu
