intellectual disability

Question 1

DSM5 criteria for diagnosing mental disorders

Answer 1

1. Significant impairment in intellectual functioning
2. impairment in adaptive behaviour (social, functional)
3. Must occur before adulthood.
   APA(2013).

Question 2

what is intellectual disability

Answer 2

Impairment of intellegence, social functioning and acquired before adulthood (UK department of health).

Question 3

WHO (1992) definition of intellectual disability

Answer 3

a condition of arrested or incomplete development of the mind, characterised by impairments in skills developed during the developmental period.
Adaptive behaviour is always impaired.

Question 4

The prevalence of ID

across an individuals life

Answer 4

Lifelong and incurable. IMpacts all areas of functioning.

Question 5

how is intellctual ability measured?

Answer 5

Statistically, IQ using WAIS-IV Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- 4th edition. IQ scores bellow 70 indicate a problem

Question 6

Prevalence (population estimates)

Answer 6

Estimated that 2/100 people will have IQ bellow 70 hich equals around 2.27% of population.
Normal distribution.

Question 7

Prevalence (DSM5)

Answer 7

Although pop estimates say 2/100, actual case registers lower 0.5-1% of population.
Although a study of school age children found rates could be as high as 5-10%.

Question 8

why is diagnosis important?

Answer 8

access to support
understanding, 
benefits
entitlements
protection

Question 9

problem with theories?

Answer 9

in most cases the causes are unknown: but when disability is severe and profound there is usually a known cause:

• Genetic 50
• prenatal 20
• postnatal 10
• unknown 20

Question 10

social factors

Answer 10

individuals from a lower socioeconomic background have a risk of developing ID
SES (Broman et al, 1987) teen mums.
childhood abuse- brain injury: shaken baby syndrome. Car crash, accident or abuse.

Question 11

chromosomal theories

Answer 11

Down syndrome accounts for 25-30% of intellectual disabilities and is caused by an extra chromosome on pair 21. leads to low IQ between 35-55, altered look. Risk increases with mothers age.
Fragile X syndrome.

Question 12

What is impairement in adaptive thinking

Answer 12

Always included in definition of intellectual disability
(Trudgold, 1908)
Judged clinically in 2002
AAMR: introduced psychometric measure, 2 standard deviations below population mean.
Vineland adaptive behavior scales
measures:
1. conceptual (communication skills)
2. Practical (daily life)
3. socialisation
mean of 100 sd= 15.
other psychometric measures can not be used for adults.

Question 13

what is the difference between intellectual disability and learning difficulties?

Answer 13

learning difficulties:

• Iq is above 70
• range of intellectual abilities
• covers specific area of functioning
• in school
• diagnosed by educational psychologist.

Question 14

types of learning difficulties

Answer 14

• dyslexia
• dyspraxia
• dyscalculia

Question 15

How much do prenatal causes contribute to ID

Answer 15

50%

• Downs syndrome
• Fragile X syndrome

Question 16

how much do perinatal causes contribute to ID

Answer 16

20%
Low birth weight,
Anoxia
infections from mother

Question 17

how much do post natal causes contribute to ID

Answer 17

10%

• biological
• psychosocial: low SES , teen mums (Broman, 1987)

Question 18

how much of the cause of ID is unknown

Answer 18

20%

Question 19

why is diagnosis important

Answer 19

Access to services and supports, Benefits & Entitlements, Protection, Mitigation in law,
Understanding

Question 20

other points

Answer 20

Other points
1. Intellectual Disability is a lifelong condition and cannot be cured.
2. It impacts on all areas of functioning (General knowledge, Problem solving, reasoning,
vocabulary, comprehension, information processing, attention, concentration etc.)
3. However, its impact on the person can be ameliorated through education, training and
supports.