Goal Setting to Support Mental Wellness Among Adolescents With Disabilities and Co-Occurring Mental Health Needs

• Published in: Teaching exceptional children Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 350 - 358
• Main Authors: Francis, Grace L., Duke, Jodi M., Fujita, Megan, Raines, Alexandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.05.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescents; Comorbidity; Data Collection; Family Environment; Goal Orientation; Goal setting; Health Needs; Individualized Education Programs; Intervention; Mental Health; Planning; Program Development; Program Implementation; Progress Monitoring; Self Determination; Special education; Student Needs; Students with Disabilities; Teacher Role; Teamwork; Wellness
• DOI: 10.1177/0040059920974706
• ISSN: 0040-0599

Adolescents with disabilities experience co-occurring mental health needs at higher rates than their peers without disabilities (Blake, 2017; Milligan et al., 2015; Poppen et al., 2016; Thornton et al., 2017). Mental health needs often become more prominent as individuals with disabilities transition from childhood to adolescence (White et al., 2010) and result in decreased academic performance, fewer fulfilling relationships, and difficulties accessing needed services (Eddy et al., 2015). There is a significant need for mental wellness approaches for adolescents with disabilities and co-occurring mental health needs (D/MH) that can be implemented in school and home settings by educators, parents, and others who do not hold a mental health license to expand opportunities to individuals without health care or who do not otherwise have access to licensed professionals to receive necessary support (Poppen et al., 2016). The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 has further highlighted the urgent need for mental wellness strategies that can be effectively implemented in a variety of environments by educators and families (JED Foundation, 2020). Setting goals is one such strategy (Eddy et al., 2015). This manuscript describes goal setting as a wellness strategy to support adolescents with D/MH and provides suggestions for implementation.