Speech and Language Disorders and Mental Health: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Risk, Resilience, and Support

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite contributions to this Special Issue, which explores the complex and evolving relationship between speech and language disorders and mental health across the lifespan. Developmental language disorder (DLD) and related communication difficulties are increasingly recognised as significant, yet under-identified, contributors to mental health vulnerabilities, including anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and behavioural challenges. Research across disciplines has highlighted both genetic and environmental risk factors, systemic barriers to appropriate support, and the cumulative impact of unaddressed language needs on psychosocial wellbeing.

Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to bring together international and interdisciplinary research that addresses how speech and language disorders intersect with mental health concerns, particularly in underrepresented or high-risk populations such as youth offenders, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) individuals, and those with complex developmental profiles. We welcome empirical studies, reviews, theoretical contributions, and practice-based innovations that examine these intersections and propose inclusive, collaborative approaches to care and intervention.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Comorbidity of DLD and internalising/externalising disorders;
• Early risk and protective factors influencing mental health in speech-language disorders;
• Lived experiences and identity in adolescents and adults with DLD;
• Multidisciplinary service delivery models;
• Inequity in access to mental health support for individuals with communication needs;
• Longitudinal studies tracking psychosocial outcomes in populations with speech–language disorders;
• Trauma-informed or culturally responsive care frameworks;
• Integrating speech–language therapy in mental health services.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Weifeng Han
Dr. Shane Pill
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• developmental language disorder (DLD)
• speech–language pathology
• communication disorders
• mental health comorbidity
• psychosocial development
• interdisciplinary care
• equity in healthcare access
• internalising and externalising symptoms
• language and emotional regulation
• cultural and linguistic diversity