Self-determination theory as a framework for understanding needs of youth at-risk: Perspectives of social service professionals and the youth themselves
Abstract
Paper moved to https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lien_reports/13/. While there is evidence from the self-determination perspective for thepositive impact of self-determination interventions on at-risk youth'stransition outcomes, no research to date, has attempted to understand youthneeds from both social service provider and youth client perspectives in thesame study. The present study sought to generate a nuanced understanding ofyouth needs. For this purpose, the study was conducted in two phases. In phase1, twenty-one social service professionals (case workers, social workers,counsellors, program supervisors) were interviewed to get an understanding of theirperception of youth needs and how they are being met. In phase 2, 45 at-riskyouths aged between 15 and 25 were interviewed to get an understanding of theirperception of their most essential needs and how they are being served orunder-served. Participants also completed a short survey on needs satisfaction,life satisfaction and resilience outcomes. Results revealed misalignmentbetween the social service programmes and youths' articulated needs. Thefindings point towards the importance of considering the specific role of thepsychological need for autonomy and relatedness in bridging the gap betweenservice provision and client expectations. Recommendations for interventionresearchers and practitioners are proposed