Addressing the Leaking Pipeline: Supporting Disabled Graduate Student Teachers in Psychology

Abstract

Introduction

People with disabilities are under-represented among psychology faculty and graduate students and are more likely than their non-disabled peers to attrite from psychology graduate programs. They face numerous barriers in graduate training.

Statement of the Problem

Teaching experience is a core experience for psychology graduate students, especially those pursuing faculty positions. Disabled graduate students face many barriers that may make it difficult for them to obtain high-quality graduate student teaching experience. This contributes to the continuing under-representation of disabled faculty in psychology programs.

Literature Review

I review key empirical and conceptual articles on the experiences of disabled psychology trainees and how to best support them.

Teaching Implications

I provide evidence-based suggestions and strategies for supporting graduate students with disabilities as they obtain teaching experience.

Conclusion

By actively supporting graduate students with disabilities in their teaching endeavors, psychology faculty can help stem the leaky pipeline and increase the numbers of psychology faculty with disabilities.

Keywords

graduate student teachers disability psychology psychologists with disabilities psychology graduate school

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