Emotional Disturbances Related to Disability

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

• A person-in-environment centred approach to emotional/behavioural concerns for persons with disabilities.
• A social/cultural context of the social and emotional difficulties in the lives of people with disabilities.
• Assessment and intervention of presenting clinical issues and associated disabling conditions encountered in community rehabilitation practice. This includes:
  • Concepts of mental disorder and disability (i.e. issues related to diagnostic labeling, the DSM IV and subsequent versions, and the role of psychological testing in clinical practice).
  • Treatment options, community services and programs for families with pre-school and school-aged children diagnosed with mental health issues, “Pervasive Developmental Disability Not Otherwise Specified” (PDD-NOS), and autism (e.g. Asperger’s Syndrome).
  • Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children with multiple psychiatric disorders (e.g. Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Mood Disorders, maladaptive social behaviours and communication difficulties, traumatic brain injury, addiction/substance abuse issues, etc.).
• Emancipatory/empowerment theory and practice models in contemporary clinical practice.
  • Postmodern feminist theory and practice (e.g. social action strategies).
  • Racial, ethnic, and cultural issues.
  • Clinical practice with depressed clients and clients with anxiety disorders.
• Strategies for safeguarding people with disabilities.
• Models of community care and interventions for people with severe mental illness