title: Clinical psychology and disability studies: bridging the disciplinary divide on mental health and disability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical psychology and disability studies have traditionally occupied very different academic, philosophical and political spaces. However, this paper aims to illustrate the positive consequences and implications of attempts to understand and bridge this disciplinary divide.
  
  
  METHODS
  A narrative review format was used with evidence selected pragmatically as opposed to systematically. The construction of the argument determined the evidence selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concept of psycho-emotional disablism, which originated within disability studies, is argued to be a useful concept to bridge the divide between understandings of distress from both disability studies and clinical psychology perspectives. However, this can be usefully augmented by psychological research on the mechanisms through which disablism can affect individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perspectives from both disability studies and clinical psychology can be usefully combined to bring important new perspectives; combined, these perspectives should help - on theoretical, service and social levels - to improve the mental health of disabled people. Implications for Rehabilitation Mental health is an important determinant of overall health-related quality of life and psychological therapy should be available for those disabled people who would value it. Psychological therapists working with disabled people should be more aware of the challenging social context in which disabled people live. Understandings of distress should not just include individual factors but also incorporate the psychological impact of stresses caused by societal barriers preventing inclusion. Psychologists should be more willing to work and engage at a societal and political level to influence change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Lancaster University , Lancaster , UK and.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D011788:Quality of Life; D012931:Social Environment
keywords: Clinical psychology; disability studies; disabled people; mental health; psycho-emotional disablism