A Scoping Review of the Barriers to Self-Advocacy for People with Intellectual Disability in Bronfenbrenner’s Process–Person–Context–Time (PPCT) Model

Self-determination and self-advocacy are critical components of quality of life, and the instruction of these skills continues to emerge as an important outcome for Disabled people, specifically people with intellectual disability (ID). The purpose of this scoping review examined the perspectives of adults with ID and the experienced barriers when self-advocating, making choices, and goal setting. This scoping review searched multiple databases for empirical research, which collected the perspective of people with intellectual disability and what they identified as barriers to self-advocacy. Results included 30 articles with an international perspective available within the English language. The authors utilized Bronfenbrenner’s process–person–context–time (PPCT) model to identify how these barriers are experienced in various relationships and environments and throughout time. The barriers identified fell into the various aspects of the PPCT model. Understanding these barriers provides insights into ways to begin to dismantle them, and this review details recommendations for research, policy, and practices.