The Self-Determination Scale for Individuals with IDD (SDS-IDD)
India's first culturally validated tool to measure self-determination and self-advocacy in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — developed, validated and published by Manovikas. Take it free online, or read the research behind it.
🧭 Self-determination means: I choose. I speak up. I lead my life.
Manovikas built and tested a tool to measure these skills for people with IDD in India.
You can take it free. 🌟
Psychometric properties established through doctoral research (Shri Khushal Das University, 2025) and peer-reviewed publication.
What is self-determination for adults with IDD?
Self-determination is the capacity to act as the primary causal agent in one's own life — to make choices, set and pursue goals, solve problems, understand one's rights, and advocate for oneself. For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), decades of international research link self-determination to better autonomy, employment, wellbeing and community participation.
Yet in India, despite the progressive Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016), there has been no culturally appropriate instrument to measure self-determination in this population — and no structured, India-specific curriculum to build it. The SDS-IDD and its companion Self-Advocacy Curriculum were created to close exactly that gap.
Self-determination is about living your own life:
🎯 Making your own choices · 💬 Speaking up · 🗺️ Setting goals · ⚖️ Knowing your rights
Manovikas made the first Indian tool to measure these skills for adults with IDD.
12 areas of self-determination
Developed, validated & published
The SDS-IDD was developed as doctoral research — "Empowering Independence: Developing a Self-Determination Assessment Tool and Self-Advocacy Curriculum for Enhancing Autonomy and Wellbeing in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" (Ph.D., Special Education, Shri Khushal Das University, 2025) by Dr. Alok Kumar Bhuwan, Managing Secretary of Manovikas, under the supervision of Dr. Satyanarain Nai.
A mixed-methods design with 100 adults with mild-to-moderate IDD across urban and semi-urban settings established the scale's reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.86) and construct validity. A companion 12-week Self-Advocacy Curriculum — covering communication, decision-making, goal-setting and rights awareness — produced statistically significant gains in autonomy, confidence and decision-making (p < 0.01).
Dr. Alok Bhuwan of Manovikas made and tested this tool for his Ph.D. It works well and is published in a research journal.
📚 Citation & access
Thesis: Bhuwan, A. K. (2025). Empowering Independence… Shri Khushal Das University. ISBN 978-93-48204-03-5.
Journal: Development and Validation of a Culturally Relevant Self-Determination Scale for Adults with IDD in India. Int. J. of Modern Science and Research Technology, 3(2), Feb 2025. ISSN 2584-2706.
Licence: CC BY-ND 4.0 — free to share with attribution.
Take the SDS-IDD — free, bilingual, easy-read
Self-advocates, families and professionals can take the assessment online in English or हिन्दी. You receive an instant visual report across all 12 areas, by email.
Take the free test. Get your own report. 🌟
💛 Support this research
Manovikas develops tools like the SDS-IDD and offers them free. Your donation keeps our research and self-advocacy work reaching families across India.
Your gift keeps this tool free for everyone.