Childhood Psychopathology
Chapter 6
Intellectual Disability
*Intellectual disability occurs in approximately 1% of the US population
*AAIDD definition (c/w DSM-5)
*AAIDD= American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
*Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with
deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period
1. Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning
*Measured by individual assessment via standardized intelligence test; IQ
score of 70 or below
2. Deficits in adaptive behavior
*Deficits in the degree to which a person meets standards of personal
independence and social responsibility expected for age and cultural
group
*May include problems with learning, maturity, independent living, and
social skills
3. Developmental period
*Time of conception through 18 years. This is period during which deficits
must have emerged
*Predisposing factors
1. Hereditary (approximately 5% of those diagnosed):
*Genetic and chromosomal aberrations
*Tay-Sach’s disease, Down’s Syndrome, and fragile X syndrome
2. Difficulties arising during embryonic development and during pregnancy
(approximately 40%):
*Maternal alcohol/drug use, various infections, fetal malnutrition, prematurity,
hypoxia, high blood levels (PKU), and trauma
3. Medical conditions acquired during infancy or childhood (approximately 5%):
*Infection, trauma, and other factors such as lead poisoning
4. Environmental influences and other mental disorders (20%):
*Deprivation of nurturance and of social, linguistic, or other stimulation as well
as disorders such as autism
*More on predisposing factors
*Approximately 30% of those diagnosed with ID show no problems involving any of
these aforementioned associated factors - leads to conclusion that other (more
biologically-based factors still need to be identified)
*Difficult to separate social/environmental from more biological factors that are
frequently co-occurring
*More on difficulties arising during embryonic development and during pregnancy
*Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most preventable form of ID
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg7_aZbchc
*Classification of ID subgroups
Chapter 6
Intellectual Disability
*Intellectual disability occurs in approximately 1% of the US population
*AAIDD definition (c/w DSM-5)
*AAIDD= American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
*Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with
deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period
1. Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning
*Measured by individual assessment via standardized intelligence test; IQ
score of 70 or below
2. Deficits in adaptive behavior
*Deficits in the degree to which a person meets standards of personal
independence and social responsibility expected for age and cultural
group
*May include problems with learning, maturity, independent living, and
social skills
3. Developmental period
*Time of conception through 18 years. This is period during which deficits
must have emerged
*Predisposing factors
1. Hereditary (approximately 5% of those diagnosed):
*Genetic and chromosomal aberrations
*Tay-Sach’s disease, Down’s Syndrome, and fragile X syndrome
2. Difficulties arising during embryonic development and during pregnancy
(approximately 40%):
*Maternal alcohol/drug use, various infections, fetal malnutrition, prematurity,
hypoxia, high blood levels (PKU), and trauma
3. Medical conditions acquired during infancy or childhood (approximately 5%):
*Infection, trauma, and other factors such as lead poisoning
4. Environmental influences and other mental disorders (20%):
*Deprivation of nurturance and of social, linguistic, or other stimulation as well
as disorders such as autism
*More on predisposing factors
*Approximately 30% of those diagnosed with ID show no problems involving any of
these aforementioned associated factors - leads to conclusion that other (more
biologically-based factors still need to be identified)
*Difficult to separate social/environmental from more biological factors that are
frequently co-occurring
*More on difficulties arising during embryonic development and during pregnancy
*Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most preventable form of ID
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg7_aZbchc
*Classification of ID subgroups
