Goal Setting to Support Mental Wellness Among Adolescents With Disabilities and Co-Occurring Mental Health Needs

Adolescence, or the period of human development that occurs approximately between 12 and 22 years of age (Jaworska & MacQueen, 2015), is a time of physical, biological, emotional, cognitive, and social changes as individuals with disabilities transition from childhood to young adulthood (Poppen et al., 2016). This period of development is also an exciting time of change and self-discovery, as adolescents with disabilities begin to assume more responsibility, prepare to leave home for the first time, explore academic areas of interest, develop friendships and relationships outside of their immediate and extended family, and set personal and professional goals (Guan & Fuligni, 2016; Van Hees et al., 2014). As individuals with disabilities experience myriad changes during adolescence, maintaining mental wellness is extremely important (Blake, 2017; Poppen et al., 2016).