How did we help (or not)? A qualitative analysis of helpful resources used by psychology trainees with disabilities

Little research has been conducted on the experiences of psychology trainees with disabilities, but there is growing evidence that this group of trainees faces a variety of barriers in their training. In this secondary analysis of data from 41 psychologists and psychology trainees with disabilities, we analyzed participants' responses to an open-ended question regarding what resources they found helpful during their training. Seven themes emerged: (a) no helpful resources; (b) professional supports and organizations; (c) mentor supports; (d) accommodations; (e) peer supports; (f) external supports in the form of health services; and (g) personal supports. Participants identified both formal and informal resources that were helpful, but more than a third of participants said that there were no disability-related resources that were helpful to them during their training. Implications for programs and trainees are discussed.