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Leadership development of individuals with developmental disabilities in the self‐advocacy movement
Author(s) -
Caldwell J.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of intellectual disability research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1365-2788
pISSN - 0964-2633
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01326.x
Subject(s) - self advocacy , leadership development , psychology , grounded theory , oppression , qualitative research , leadership studies , relevance (law) , leadership style , adult development , developmental psychology , social psychology , sociology , pedagogy , public relations , political science , politics , social science , law
Background Exploring the life stories of leaders in the self‐advocacy movement can expand our knowledge about leadership development of individuals with developmental disabilities. A better understanding of this process may assist with supporting the movement and leadership development of youth with disabilities. Methods In‐depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 leaders in the self‐advocacy movement within the USA in order to explore their life stories. Purposeful sampling contributed to a diverse sample of leaders. A grounded theory approach led to the identification of major themes and factors associated with their leadership development. Findings Four major themes emerged: (1) disability oppression and resistance; (2) environmental supports and relationships; (3) leadership skills; and (4) advanced leadership opportunities. Findings have conceptual and practical relevance for future interventions and research.