Class 2: Classification and Diagnosis/Intellectual Disability Flashcards
Definition of classification/diagnosis
Process of placing phenomena into distinct categories
Utility of diagnostic systems
- Determine type and intensity of treatments
- Placement decisions
- Allows professionals to communicate more clearly, enhancing efficiency in delivery of services
Two most influential diagnostic systems in school psychology/practice
IDEA (most important)
DSM
Characteristics of IDEA
Service children with special needs in school
De facto diagnostic system
Most widely used in schools
Used to determine eligiblity
Criticized as outdated (i.e. emotional disturbance)
Four most relevant categories from IDEA for school psychology
Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emotional Disturbance, Other Health Impaired
DSM and IDEA are mainly: categorical or dimensional?
Categorical
What does a categorical diagnostic system imply?
You either have a disability or disorder or you don’t (not dimensional)
Limitations of categorical systems
Oversimplification and lack of nuance
Onset for intellectual disability must be prior to this age
18
Prevalence of ID
1% worldwide, .7% among youth ages 3-17
What is intelligence?
General mental capacity; involves ability to reason, plan, think abstractly etc.
Examples of intelligence tests
WISC, WJ, Stanford Binet etc.
Adaptive behavior affects an individual’s ability to be:
Independent, Socially Responsible and meet the standards of typical activities of daily living
Three domains of adaptive behavior
Conceptual, social, practical
Adaptive behavior is..
the collection of conceptual, social, practical skills that people have learned to function in their everyday lives.
