It Takes A Village: Strength-Based Approaches And Interventions For Children And Adolescents With Learning Disabilities In Combination With Depression And Anxiety

Abstract

Children and adolescents with learning disabilities often carry a stigma associated with their disability, which makes them vulnerable to struggle with diagnoses of depression and anxiety. The dual diagnosis can create challenges outside of the classroom and within the home environment as well as the community and within the school setting (Maag & Reid, 2016). Therefore, working with this specific adolescent population requires an understanding from mental health providers in regard to their specific brain development, age appropriate responsiveness, and creative problem solving skills (Murray, 2003). Accordingly, mental health professionals and the front line workers are encouraged to work in harmony with the family, school, and community providers as inclusive protective factors within the adolescent and child’s life. This can be instituted by recognizing the challenges of dual diagnosis in children and adolescents with learning disabilities as well as learning appropriate and beneficial interventions (Murray, 2003). Appropriate interventions may help with the negative impact that anxiety has on social and learning processes. Studies have shown that only one third of students with mental health disorders receive sufficient treatment (Maag & Reid, 2016). In order to recognize the challenges, the mental health provider must also be able to understand what raises the risk of development or increase in symptoms. This paper, therefore, employs a meta-analysis and statistical analysis of literature reviews and seminal knowledge to construct the importance of utilizing strength-based collaboration approach of community mental health, school supports and home providers to promote optimal social and emotional growth, which can assist in long-term successful outcomes for the learning disabled student. Keywords: Learning Disability, Protective Factors, Depression, Strength-based Counseling, Resiliency, Positive Psychology, Mental Health