Improving Clothing and Grooming Appearance of Students With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Evaluation of a Measurement Checklist and Care Provider Intervention

Buckley et al. (2025) worked with four college students who have developmental delays. The students wanted to look neat for class and work.

The researchers gave each student’s caregiver a short checklist. The list showed what tidy clothes and grooming look like. Caregivers used the list each morning and gave praise when the student met each point.

All four students looked cleaner and more put-together right away. The gains stayed for the whole study.

Parents said the checklist was easy and took under five minutes.

Cruz-Torres et al. (2020) also had parents teach daily-living skills, but they used iPad videos instead of a paper list. Both studies show moms and dads can be the teachers.

Folgia et al. (2023) used video prompts to teach leg shaving to women with disabilities. Buckley’s checklist gives another low-tech way to reach the same goal of better grooming.

Buckley et al. (2020) taught two teens to sit through haircuts. The new study widens the lens to full outfit and grooming appearance for young adults.

You don’t need cameras or software to help clients look job-ready. Hand the caregiver a five-item checklist, teach them to praise each met step, and watch the student leave the house looking neat. Try it Monday morning with one client who struggles with stained shirts or messy hair.