Disability Bias in Clinical Psychology Program Admissions in the Pre-Application Stage
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Joshua Swift, Idaho State University; and Katelyn Cathcart, Idaho State University
Presentation Date
7-15-2026
Abstract
Despite ongoing efforts to increase diversity representation in psychology, disability remains underrepresented, potentially due to biases within graduate admissions processes (Francis, 2024). Evidence indicates that disabled trainees encounter barriers that limit or prevent entry into doctoral programs (Coop, 2018). Additionally, disclosure of mental health conditions on application materials has been associated with lower faculty rankings compared to applicants who do not disclose such information (Zöld et al., 2020). Building on this literature, the present study examined whether bias emerges even earlier—during the pre-application stage, when prospective students contact potential mentors. We will present the results of a nationwide audit study of 400 APA-accredited clinical psychology programs in this poster. One faculty member from each program was randomly selected to receive an email from a confederate prospective student inquiring about program fit and faculty availability. Email conditions varied by disclosure of disability status. Response rates and related variables were recorded. The results indicated that students who disclosed a disability received significantly fewer responses compared to those in the control condition, χ2 = 4.61, p = .022. These findings suggest that disability-related bias may influence opportunities at the very first point of contact with graduate programs.
Disability Bias in Clinical Psychology Program Admissions in the Pre-Application Stage
Despite ongoing efforts to increase diversity representation in psychology, disability remains underrepresented, potentially due to biases within graduate admissions processes (Francis, 2024). Evidence indicates that disabled trainees encounter barriers that limit or prevent entry into doctoral programs (Coop, 2018). Additionally, disclosure of mental health conditions on application materials has been associated with lower faculty rankings compared to applicants who do not disclose such information (Zöld et al., 2020). Building on this literature, the present study examined whether bias emerges even earlier—during the pre-application stage, when prospective students contact potential mentors. We will present the results of a nationwide audit study of 400 APA-accredited clinical psychology programs in this poster. One faculty member from each program was randomly selected to receive an email from a confederate prospective student inquiring about program fit and faculty availability. Email conditions varied by disclosure of disability status. Response rates and related variables were recorded. The results indicated that students who disclosed a disability received significantly fewer responses compared to those in the control condition, χ2 = 4.61, p = .022. These findings suggest that disability-related bias may influence opportunities at the very first point of contact with graduate programs.