L3.2 Intellectual disability

Question 1

Intellectual disability definition

Answer 1

Developmental disability that can arise from various causes and involving significant impact in general intelligence and deficits in adaptive behaviour.

Question 2

DSM 5 criteria for ID

Answer 2

A. Intellectual deficits
B. Deficits in adaptive functioning
C. Onset during the developmental period

Question 3

Adaptive functioning

Answer 3

How effectively someone copes with ordinary life demands and is capable of living independently.

Question 4

Specifiers

Answer 4

Convey the severity of deficit (mild, moderate, severe or profound) for each of the conceptual, social and practical domains.

Question 5

Conceptual

Answer 5

Difficulties in learning academic skills involving reading, writing, arithmetic, time, money.

Question 6

Social

Answer 6

Difficulties in social behaviour and verbal and nonverbal communication.

Question 7

Practical

Answer 7

Difficulties with daily living tasks - handling meals, dressing, bathing, transportation, recreation.

Question 8

ID Prevalence

Answer 8

• Between 1% and 3% of the population

- More common in males than females.

Question 9

High rates of comorbidity with

Answer 9

• Anxiety/mood disorders
• ADHD
• ASD

Question 10

Causes of ID: levels of analysis

Answer 10

Environment: biological level, cognitive level, behavioural level
(Visual representation on slide makes more sense but can’t replicate here)

Question 11

Biological level

Answer 11

• Chromosome abnormalities
• Most common: Down Syndrome
• Other syndromes: Williams, Fragile X, Prader-Willi, Angelman

Question 12

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Answer 12

• Most extreme form of FAS
• 33% of heavy pregnant drinkers have a FAS birth
• Leading known cause of mental retardation
• Physical characteristics: CNS dysfunction, slow growth; distinct facial features
• Psychological characteristics: low IQ, hyperactivity, irritability, poor motor control.

Question 13

Profound intellectual impairment

Answer 13

Approx. 75% of cases have an identifiable organic cause.

Question 14

Mild Intellectual impairment

Answer 14

Only about 10% have a known organic cause

Question 15

2 groups

Answer 15

• Organic mental retardation: clear biological basis, and is usually associated with severe impairment
• Cultural-familial mental retardation: no clear organic basis, and is usually associated with mild impairment -psychological, social, educational factors

Question 16

Genetic conditions: Down Syndrome

Answer 16

-Abnormality in Chromosome 21 (damaged or incorrect # of chromosomes)
-Psychological characteristics:
~Delayed, but reasonable social skills
~Expressive language weaker than receptive language
~Delayed development of motor skills

Question 17

Genetic condition: Williams Syndrome

Answer 17

Deletion on Chromosome 7
Psychological characteristics:
-hypersensitive to sound
-surprisingly good language production and receptive vocabulary
-poor global visual-spatial abilities (except face recognition)
-hypersocial and overly friendly
-can be musically talented

Question 18

Genetic Disorder: Fragile X

Answer 18

Narrow and therefore fragile X chromosome
Psychological Characteristics:
-sensory hypersensitivity (vision, audition, touch)
-Weak verbal abilities
-Anxiety
-Withdrawn and shy or inattentive
-High comorbidity with autism

Question 19

Conclusion on psychological consequences of IDs

Answer 19

Substantially different patterns of impairment are presented as a function of the different cause of ID.

Question 20

Mild

Answer 20

Develop social and communication skills, possibly with moderate delays in expressive language
With appropriate support, adults usually live successfully in the community

Question 21

Moderate

Answer 21

Benefit from vocational training and in adulthood can perform supervised unskilled or semiskilled work.

Question 22

Severe

Answer 22

Low academic achievement
Need special assistance throughout life
Adapt well to living in group homes or with family

Question 23

Profound

Answer 23

Require lifelong care and assistance

Most live in supervised homes or specialised facilities

Question 24

Typical challenging behaviours associated with ID

Answer 24

• Aggression towards others (e.g. Biting)
• Self injurious behaviours (e.g. Head banging)
• Inappropriate social behaviour (e.g. Hugging strangers)
• Self-stimulatory behaviours (e.g. Rocking)
• Non-compliance
• Withdrawal

Question 25

Interventions

Answer 25

• Behavioural interventions
• Parent training programs
• Educational Programs
• Early intervention is most effective

Question 26

Behavioural interventions

Answer 26

• Break problem behaviours down into simple parts
• manipulate contingencies (consequences for both desirable and undesirable behaviours) to shape the child towards more adaptive behaviours

Question 27

Parent training programs

Answer 27

• Reinforce contingency learning

- useful in helping generalise new skills across home, school, wider community

Question 28

Educational programs

Answer 28

Special education or “mainstreaming” (integration into regular classrooms)?