Can healthcare transition readiness be “ self-determined ” ?

Purpose: Adolescents with chronic medical conditions need skills to successfully manage their condition and transition into adult healthcare. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) posits that competence (e.g., skills, confidence), autonomy, and relatedness (e.g., support for autonomy from others) influence behavior change. SDT, an empirically-based theory of human motivation, has proven effective in promoting long-term health behaviors with respect to diet and exercise, but to date has not been applied to the health care transition preparation of transition-age youth (TAY). This study evaluates the utility of SDT constructs in predicting baseline transition readiness of TAY recruited into an intervention to promote successful transition to adult care.