Currently, there are over 50,000,000 Americans with disabilities; this number is anticipated to grow as the population ages. Unfortunately, most psychologists have received little or no formal training on serving this diverse population. The first objective of this research was to identify the clinical manifestations of three contexts (labeled the models of disability), commonly utilized to describe the ways in which disability may be conceptualized. The second was to develop an instrument to assist clinicians in identifying which of these models influence(s) a client's perspective on an existing disability most strongly.

A four-round process was utilized to collect data from clinicians and other providers, academicians, and members of the disability community with relevant expertise. The first two rounds of data-collection focused on identifying clinical manifestations of the models and on a proposed design for the assessment instrument. The final rounds involved obtaining feedback on two drafts of the instrument.

Only a very small number (ranging from 7–28 respondents/round) of the 2,000+ individuals projected to have seen recruitment materials participated in this research. The data indicated that there was a lack of consensus regarding both the validity of the construct of the models, and its utility in clinical practice. Even so, the data, and relevant literature provided some insight in to the clinical manifestations of the models, and facilitated the development of a prototype of an assessment instrument.

The very limited scope of this research has led to findings that can only be considered exploratory, and in some cases highly speculative. Nonetheless, this effort has identified some of the clinical manifestations of the models of disability. It has also generated a tool that, with further development, may help clinicians to broaden their understanding of how clients think about disability.

This effort has also identified several topics for future research. The most important of these include empirically based efforts to validate the concept of the models, and its applicability to clinical practice. Such efforts and further refinement of the assessment instrument generated by this research may facilitate successful treatment outcomes with some clients with disabilities.