Mental health in Neurodevelopmental disabilities: Challenges and approaches

Introduction: Neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), affect cognitive, behavioral, language, and motor abilities, significantly impacting children’s daily functioning, productivity, and participation. Children with NDDs have a higher prevalence of co-existing mental health disorders compared to typically developing peers. Mental health care must shift to proactive, standardized services to address these complex needs. The present study aimed to characterizes the association between neurodevelopmental disabilities and their influence on mental health outcomes and overall well-being. Methods: A bibliographic review was performed using PubMed and ResearchGate with keywords such as Neurodevelopmental disabilities, autism, ADHD, mental health, and neurodivergent combined with the Boolean operator AND. Eighteen articles were selected, with over 70 % published in the last five years. Relevant data were extracted, summarized, and organized for analysis. Results: Mental health services include evaluations, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and more, but neurodivergent individuals face barriers including limited clinician training, systemic fragmentation, communication challenges, and practical constraints. Adaptations such as unhurried dialogue, tailored therapeutic environments, identity-affirming care, and consistent clinical contact improve outcomes. Schools and family support networks are vital for emotional regulation and intervention. Specialized clinician training and flexible, patient-centered approaches are critical for effective care. Conclusions: Current mental health systems often lack adequate training and coordination to address NDD’s. Tailored interventions, improved clinician education and educational support are crucial to enhance well-being in this population.