What’s this project about?
Autistic youth and those with intellectual disabilities may be more likely to experience mental health problems compared to the general population (Munir, 2016). Despite evidence for the efficacy of various psychotherapeutic approaches to address these concerns (e.g., CBT; Blakeley-Smith et al., 2021), they often struggle to receive these interventions (Vohra et al., 2014), possibly due to barriers in the recognition of their mental health needs (Krahn et al., 2015). The current study examines diagnostic overshadowing that may occur for mental health profession trainees around providing therapy to potential child and adolescent clients with developmental disabilities.
How did we go about doing this project?
We developed an online tool to examine diagnostic overshadowing, self-perceived skills, confidence, knowledge and training needs related to providing support for children and adolescents with diverse needs. Data were collected from 750 graduate students enrolled in an accredited program in clinical psychology, social work or counselling psychology across the United States and Canada.
Qualitative interviews were also conducted with mental health trainees and program directors across North America to assess program and training recommendations related to supporting youth with developmental disabilities.
What is the next step?
The findings from this study will enhance our understanding of training in developmental disabilities and mental health, informing program curricula to better support students’ learning and improve access to care for families.
Data collection is complete, and analysis is currently underway. The results of this study will be summarized and submitted for publication in an academic journal and presented at national or international conferences.
Want to know more about this project?
For more information, please feel free to contact, Flora Roudbarani at froudbar@yorku.ca and/or Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Principal Investigator on the study, at jonweiss@yorku.ca.