Sakız, HalisDuygu Betül Koca, Zeynep Hande Sart, Deniz Albayrak-Kaymak2023-07-262023-07-262023Koca, D. B., Sart, Z. H., Sakız, H., & Albayrak-Kaymak, D. (2023). Self-advocacy experiences of students with specific learning disabilities. Social Psychology of Education, 1-25.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-023-09771-5https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85148458857&origin=SingleRecordEmailAlert&dgcid=raven_sc_affil_en_us_email&txGid=52e3f330e007042ff3a832b9eb8518d6https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12514/3534Discussions about students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) often center on finding solutions for the difficulties they face in school. However, there is a lack of emphasis on the self-advocacy experiences of these students. Self-advocacy can empower students with SLD to pursue their interests, understand their rights, and effectively address any violations of those rights. Drawing on self-advocacy, which encompasses four domains (knowledge of self, knowledge of rights, communication, and leadership), this study explores the self-advocacy experiences of students with SLD enrolled in vocational high schools in Istanbul, Turkey. Twelve students (50.0% females; Mage=15.91 years; SD=1.08; range=14–18 years) participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that: (i) the students had limited knowledge of their SLD conditions, characteristics, and rights, despite having some self-awareness; (ii) they emphasized the difficulties and negative aspects when describing themselves and their school experiences; (iii) they were able to communicate their needs and preferences to school staff, but they were not frequently understood or responded to; and (iv) they rarely demonstrated leadership behaviors when advocating for others. These findings suggest that students with SLD may lack self-advocacy skills and are not effectively advocating for themselves and others in vocational high schools in Turkey.en10.1007/s11218-023-09771-5info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessSpecific learning disabilities · Self-advocacy · Qualitative research · TurkeyArticle125N/AN/AWOS:0009354948000012-s2.0-85148458857