Overview

Young people with intellectual disability are at higher risk of developing mental health disorders, and these disorders tend to persist. Depressive disorders are likely to be under-recognised in this population and accessing mental health care can be challenging. People with intellectual disability are also often excluded from scientific research into mental health and so there is also a lack of descriptive data.

In this webinar hosted by the APS Psychology of Intellectual Disability and Autism (PIDA) Interest Group, Dr Sarah Milsome MAPS, recipient of the 2023 PIDA Thesis Award, will present findings from her doctoral research:
"The Presentation of and Screening for Depressive Disorders in Adolescents with Intellectual Disability". Supervised by Prof. Kylie Gray and A/Prof. Glenn Melvin

Dr Milsome’s doctoral research addressed this critical gap by examining how depressive symptoms present in adolescents with intellectual disability and evaluating existing tools for screening. Using a well-defined, community-based sample of adolescents with a broad range of intellectual disabilities, the study identified the most commonly reported depressive symptoms, as well as frequently occurring clinical correlates.

In the second phase of the research, a series of existing checklists were assessed for their suitability as screening measures for depressive disorders in this population.

These findings enhance our understanding of how depressive disorders may present in adolescents with intellectual disability, supporting earlier identification and informing potential targets for intervention—particularly for a population often excluded from research, diagnosis, and treatment.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Appreciate the difficulties and opportunities in identifying depressive disorders in adolescents with intellectual disability  
• Describe the presentation of depressive disorders in adolescents with intellectual disability and common clinical correlates
• Take away practical strategies for assessing mental health symptoms in this population

Presenter(s)

Dr. Sarah Milsome

About the presenter(s)

Dr. Sarah Milsome is a Clinical Psychologist and secretary for the APS PIDA interest group. She is passionate about mental health care for individuals with intellectual disability and encouraging other psychologists to also work in this space. Sarah works across several settings, including in the public mental health system for adults with intellectual disability and in research with children with developmental disabilities, as well as in private practice supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Sarah completed her doctoral research on depressive disorders in adolescents with intellectual disability at Monash University in 2023 and has presented her research findings at international and local scientific and professional meetings.

Notes

Target Audience

This event is aimed at psychologists and other allied health professionals working with young people with an intellectual disability.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.