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What motivates us? Part 1: Self Determination Theory (SDT)
- October 1, 2024
- Posted by: AP-Admin
- Category: blog

As humans, according to the Human Rights Act (1998), we all have the right to be seen and valued as individuals with our thoughts and opinions given due respect. Humans have psychological and wellbeing needs, and a need to belong (Sotola and Kelly, 2020).
Assuming that everyone wants to grow and develop as an individual, requires CHOICE. Self Determination Theory, as a theory of what motivates us as humans has 4 key areas: agency, affiliation, autonomy and health. Bear with, I’ll connect this to what this means for your Autistic child in a moment.
Agency refers to a sense of self, knowing your own needs and learning from others. Confidence is built where people feel safe and able to master tasks. So your child needs to feel that their efforts are seen and respected. They also need to understand who they are and how they fit into the world around them.
Affiliation is a sense of belonging, of inclusion and attachment. Milton (2012), an Autistic researcher has argued through his theory of double empathy that it is differences in communication which we see in Autistic individuals and not a lack of empathy itself! So your child needs to be securely attached in the same way as any other child – just possibly in a different way. We all need our ‘tribe’ and to belong.
Autonomy relates to our individual needs to feel in control of our lives, taking actions which will ultimately result in real or perceived change. Tricky indeed for teenagers as they seek to find their own autonomy within their own lives And your child will need to feel elements of control over their life, with real respected changes made.
Lastly, health relates to a positive sense of mental wellbeing but also a feeling of safety which enables people to engage in learning and everyday activities.Education is key, at a level and in a style appropriate for your child. We need to value mental wellbeing highly across all ages.
According to Self Determination Theory, to motivate ourselves and our children we need to ensure we are thinking about these 4 key areas. Chen et al (2015) talked about SDT helping us to understand the “contextual nature of motivations for social interaction” in Autistic individuals. As a Speech Therapist I’m always looking for the communication side, what motivates us to communicate? But that’s a post for another day. Considering motivation in it’s broader sense can apply to whether we engage in physical activity, go to school or complete tasks. So considering SDT we need to start at the beginning, as Plato wisely said “know thyself”.