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

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 May 2027 | Viewed by 8762

Editors

Dr. Weifeng Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Faculty of Health, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0800, Australia
Interests: cognitive and linguistic development and disorder; speech–language pathology; interprofessional practice
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shane Pill

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide 5046, Australia
Interests: physical education; sports; mental health

Special Issue Information

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

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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.

Keywords

  • 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

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

20 pages, 569 KB  
Review
Hidden Communication Needs in Higher Education: A Scoping Review of Developmental Communication Disorders, Mental Health, and Academic Participation
by Xiaowen Qi and Yang Zhao
Healthcare 2026, 14(12), 1790; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14121790 - 21 Jun 2026
Viewed by 331
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Higher education requires students to communicate in complex academic and social contexts, including oral presentations, group work, help-seeking, assessment, and peer interaction. For students with developmental communication disorders, and communication-related developmental profiles, these demands may create hidden participation vulnerabilities that affect mental [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Higher education requires students to communicate in complex academic and social contexts, including oral presentations, group work, help-seeking, assessment, and peer interaction. For students with developmental communication disorders, and communication-related developmental profiles, these demands may create hidden participation vulnerabilities that affect mental health, academic engagement, and belonging. This scoping review mapped empirical evidence among tertiary students, focusing on mental health, academic participation, social belonging, institutional support, and contextual influences. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidance. Five databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science, were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed empirical studies published from 2000 onwards. Eligible studies involved university, college, or tertiary students with developmental speech, language, fluency, pragmatic communication, or communication-related developmental profiles, who reported at least one mental health, academic, or social participation outcome. Data were charted and synthesised thematically, with methodological quality appraised using CASP-informed criteria. Results: Twenty-one studies were included. Evidence was strongest for stuttering and fluency-related participation, while research on developmental language disorder, speech sound disorder, pragmatic language impairment, cluttering, and mixed communication profiles was limited. Across studies, communication needs intersected with anxiety, depression, stress, self-efficacy, oral assessment, help-seeking, disclosure, stigma, accommodation access, and belonging. Key limitations included reliance on self-report, cross-sectional or retrospective designs, inconsistent diagnostic confirmation, and limited evidence for intervention. Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that developmental communication disorders and communication-related developmental profiles can function as hidden participation vulnerabilities in higher education. These vulnerabilities are shaped by students’ communication profiles and by communication-intensive university environments. Universities may therefore need communication-accessible teaching, flexible assessment, visible support pathways, and coordinated support across disability services, counselling, academic support, and speech–language pathology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Speech and Language Disorders and Mental Health: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Risk, Resilience, and Support)
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20 pages, 651 KB  
Review
Communication Disorders and Mental Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review
by Lifan Xue, Yifang Gong, Shane Pill and Weifeng Han
Healthcare 2025, 13(15), 1807; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151807 - 25 Jul 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7241
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Communication disorders in childhood, including expressive, receptive, pragmatic, and fluency impairments, have been consistently linked to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural difficulties. However, existing research remains fragmented across diagnostic categories and developmental stages. This scoping review aimed [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Communication disorders in childhood, including expressive, receptive, pragmatic, and fluency impairments, have been consistently linked to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural difficulties. However, existing research remains fragmented across diagnostic categories and developmental stages. This scoping review aimed to synthesise empirical evidence on the relationship between communication disorders and mental health outcomes in children and adolescents and to identify key patterns and implications for practice and policy. Methods: Following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, this review included empirical studies published in English between 2000 and 2024. Five databases were searched, and ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were charted and thematically analysed to explore associations across communication profiles and emotional–behavioural outcomes. Results: Four interconnected themes were identified: (1) emotional and behavioural manifestations of communication disorders; (2) social burden linked to pragmatic and expressive difficulties; (3) family and environmental stressors exacerbating child-level challenges; and (4) a lack of integrated care models addressing both communication and mental health needs. The findings highlight that communication disorders frequently co-occur with emotional difficulties, often embedded within broader social and systemic contexts. Conclusions: This review underscores the need for developmentally informed, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary service models that address both communication and mental health in children. Early identification, family-centred care, and policy reforms are critical to reducing inequities and improving outcomes for this underserved population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Speech and Language Disorders and Mental Health: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Risk, Resilience, and Support)
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