Triangle pattern

Research Exploring Service Delivery to Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Trauma & Grief

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at increased risk of experiencing bereavement, layered loss, and traumatic events. However, they are less likely to access mental health intervention than their typically-developing peers. These projects offer IDD-specific recommendations for implementing trauma-informed practices, adapting grief interventions, and conceptualizing mental health needs related to adverse events.

  • Jackson, H., Erpelding, M., & Snider, L. A. (2023, November). Delivering universal trauma-informed care to students with intellectual disabilities [poster session]. 2023 Alabama Association of School Psychology Conference, Birmingham, AL.
  • Snider, L. A., Talapatra, D., & Parris, L. (2021, February).  Conceptualizing and supporting grieving students with intellectual disability [Practitioner conversation]. National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Virtual.
  • Talapatra, D., Parris, L., & Snider, L. A. (2020). Considerations for implementing school-based trauma-informed care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research and Practice in the Schools, 7(1). https://www.txasp.org/assets/docs/tasp-journal/Volume%207%20Issue%201_Complete%20Issue.pdf
  • Parris, L., Talapatra, D., & Snider, L.A. (2020, February). Hidden wounds: Trauma-informed care for students with intellectual disabilities [Practitioner conversation]. National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Baltimore, MA. 

Sexual Health

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often excluded from school-based sexual health education. Despite this, self-advocates with IDD share that they want to make decisions about their romantic relationships, and family members of individuals with IDD share that they need resources to support this decision-making. Interventions that increase sexual knowledge also reduce the risk of relational and sexual violence. These projects explore themes in sexual health curricula that were developed for students with IDD and offer actionable steps for educators who want to use and disseminate these resources.

  • Snider, L. A., Contino, S., Simoni, M., Talley, J., & Talapatra, D. (2023). Don’t go it alone: Locating the sexual health curricula available to families of students with intellectual disability. Psychology in the Schools, 60(12), p. 5145 – 5166. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23042
  • Contino, S., Snider, L.A., Talley, J., Jaramillo, I., & Talapatra, D. (2020, February).  What’s out there? Mapping sexuality education for students with disabilities [Practitioner conversation]. National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Baltimore, MA. 
  • Contino, R., Snider, L.A., Talley, J., Simoni, M., & Talapatra, D. (2020, May).  What’s out there? Mapping sexuality education for students with intellectual disabilities [Poster]. University of Denver Undergraduate Research Center’s Virtual Research Showcase, Denver, CO. 

Post-Secondary Transition

High-quality transition practices are vital for improving post-secondary outcomes in education, employment, and well-being for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). These projects identify best practices for school psychologists who want to engage in transition programming.

  • Segall, M., Snider, L.A., Abernathy, H., & Holbel, D. L. (2021, March).  Setting functional goals for transition-age youth with autism [Poster]. Council for Exceptional Children’s Learning Interactive Virtual Event (CEC-LIVE), Virtual. 
  • Talapatra, D., & Snider, L.A. (2021). Considerations for applying college and career readiness laws within the TPIE framework.  Contemporary School Psychology.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00347-0
  • Talapatra, D., Gladstone, P. Z., & Snider, L.A. (2018).  College to career readiness: Helping handout for the school and home. In G.G. Bear & K. Minke (Eds.) Helping Handouts to Support Students at School and Home. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
  • Talapatra, D. & Snider, L.A.  (2017). Federal Legislation to Support College and Career Readiness in Students with Developmental Disabilities. Colorado Society of School Psychologists Newsletter, 31(2), 3 & 9.