Affective impairments are disruptions in the way emotions are processed and expressed. Often these impairments are labeled "mood disorders," "emotional disorders," or "psychiatric illnesses." People with these impairments have periods in their lifetime during which, under certain stresses and environmental conditions, their life is characterized by conflict, depression, and turmoil. Examples of disabilities that result from affective impairments include depression, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Affective impairments are manifested in many different behavior patterns. Some of the more familiar patterns are appearance/self care, academic behavior/performance, interpersonal interactions, intrapersonal patterns, and language styles. There is much variability in the manner in which mental disabilities are manifested, and as a consequence, students with the same diagnosis may require very different accommodations.

For information on recognizing signs of mental illness, visit the National Mental Health Association's website.

For myths and facts about mental illness, visit United Cerebral Palsy's website, or Boston University's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation website.

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Schizophrenia & Psychotic Disorders

In most instances Job Corps students with psychotic disorders would be given a medical separation, but there are students who have a history of a psychotic illness and/or are stabilized on medication who could be successful in Job Corps provided they are given appropriate accommodations. Stabilized students may continue to have problems with organization, self care, interpersonal relations, affect, and information/working speed (slow).

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Mood Disorders

Mood disorders include major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder. In most instances, students in the acute stages of a major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or other disabling mood disorder would not be on the Job Corps center. Based on the recommendation of the center mental health professional, such individuals would either be given a medical leave or medical separation to allow for active treatment in their home community. There will, however, be students who are in remission from a major depression or whose depression is being controlled by medication. These students may require accommodation for disabilities directly related to the illness or that are the result of medication side effects.

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Anxiety Disorders

Examples of anxiety disorders include panic disorders with and without agoraphobia, specific phobia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are generally more specific (i.e., impair a limited range of a student's functioning), than depression and there are likely to be students on center who are experiencing significant problems but who can continue in the Job Corps training program provided that they are given appropriate accommodations.

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Personality Disorders

Examples of personality disorders include paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Personality refers to the habitual ways that an individual thinks, acts, and feels, and as such, present with a vast array of symptoms. As with all disabilities, reasonable accommodations should be based on the presenting symptom and not the diagnostic label.

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