Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Psycholgoy

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Devadrita Talapatra

Second Advisor

Laurel Snider

Third Advisor

Nick Cutforth

Fourth Advisor

Julia Roncoroni

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Assessment, Intellectual disabilities, Preventative services, School-wide services, Trauma, Treatment interventions

Abstract

The experience and exposure of trauma among youth, especially continuous traumatic experiences, poses considerable risks of long-term effects. Moreover, untreated trauma and subsequently negative mental health outcomes, like anxiety and depressive disorders, can negatively impact the psychosocial and academic functioning of students. One population that is generally overlooked regarding mental health in schools are students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This is problematic as this population is at an increased risk of traumatic experiences, such as maltreatment and social exclusion.

Moreover, the comorbidity of trauma and internalizing disorders among students with ID can exacerbate already existing challenges and deficits with social communication, self- care, decision making, and emotional and behavioral regulation. Given that deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning already results in various barriers in their education, students with ID must receive timely intervention and supports around trauma, anxiety, and depression to equitably access learning. Therefore, it is more paramount than ever that schools employ a model of best practices for identifying, assessing, and treating trauma and internalizing disorders of students with ID.

Manuscript One (M1) will contain a literature review around intellectual disability, trauma, depression and anxiety, and the current state of assessment and mental health treatment practices, for the ID student population. Based on an existing body of literature, M1 will call to question current practices and propose a new service delivery model centered around suggested adapted services in schools, which consider the unique need characteristics, and presentation of trauma and related mental health concerns among students with ID. In Manuscript Two (M2), this study will take a qualitive method approach using a grounded theory framework, to develop a theory on the current processes of identification, assessment and intervention practices in schools targeting students with ID. Through a series of in-depth interviews with school psychologists, this study will identify major themes or “categories” that emerge from participants feedback around their perceptions of current and ideal identification, assessment, and intervention practices for students with ID. M2 will compare participants feedback with the proposed service delivery model from manuscript one. Using theory(s) developed from the core phenomenon and emerging categories, M2 will provide a final theoretical product which better explains the current state of trauma and mental health services among students with ID. Within the context of school psychology, the final theoretical product will provide a comprehensive outline on how school psychologists can improve on addressing trauma and related mental health concerns among students with ID, using a multi-tiered systems of support approach.

Copyright Date

8-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Mark H. Thomas

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

370 pgs

File Size

2 MB

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