Psychiatric/Psychological Disabilities

A psychological disability is any persistent psychological or psychiatric disorder or emotional or mental illness resulting in impairment of educational, social or vocational functioning as reported by a mental health professional, based on diagnosis from the American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd Ed, revised [DSM IIIR7], or succeeding equivalent editions.

Examples of psychological disability includes but is not limited to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, personality disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, delusional disorder, eating disorder, alcohol and drug dependency and abuse, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

These disabilities are often regarded as "hidden disabilities" that include loss of psychological functioning and psychological symptoms e.g., (memory, cognition, concentration, sleep disturbance, appetite, nervousness, thought disorder, chronic fatigue) with variability relative to medication, stress or other factors associated with the disability.

Examples of accommodations:

  • Provide orientation to courses.
  • Provide course selection assistance.
  • Allow alternative testing (extended time, flexible dates and time/distraction free room).
  • Allow note takers, readers, tape recorders.
  • Provide seating modification.
  • Allow extended time to complete assignments.
  • Allow flexible attendance requirements.
  • Allow late withdrawal and incomplete for special circumstance directly related to disability.