PSY 212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy
Chapter 17: Disorders Common Among Children and Adolescents
Intellectual Disability
❖ Intellectual Disability
o Significantly sub-average intellectual functioning and deficits or impairment in at
least two areas of life functioning
▪ Self-care, communication, home-living, interpersonal/social, community
living, self-direction, academic, occupational, leisure, or safety
o Intelligence measured by standardized tests to calculate an IQ
▪ IQ less than 70
▪ Average IQ is 100
o Used to be mental retardation
o In addition to belo aerage itelligee, the perso’s futioal ailities ust
be below the expected level for his or her age and culture
o A person with intellectual disability has both below average measured
intelligence (diagnosis requires IQ<70) and deficits in adaptive functioning
o The onset of intellectual disability is always before the age of 18
❖ Subtypes of Intellectual Disability
o Mild Intellectual Disability
▪ IQ at 50-55 lower limit and 69 upper limit
o Moderate Intellectual Disability
▪ IQ at 35-40 lower limit and 50-55 upper limit
o Severe Intellectual Disability
▪ IQ 20-25 lower limit and 35-40 upper limit
o Profound Intellectual Disability
▪ IQ below 20-25
o Concurrent deficits
▪ Significant sub-average intellectual functioning describes a range of
cognitive abilities that can be divided into one of four subtypes.
▪ In addition to intellectual impairment, functional impairment must also
be present.
o O aerage the loer the IQ sore, the ore ipaired the hild’s aility to adapt
and function independently although the relationship is not always simple and
individual differences occur.
o Within the different domains assessed for functional impairment, each individual
will exhibit differences in abilities and skills for adaptig to life’s deads.
o In addition, children with lower intellectual functioning, are five times more
likely than other children to have another psychological disorder.
o Physical disorders are also common:
▪ 15-30% seizure disorders.
▪ 20-30% motor handicaps (cerebral palsy).
▪ 10-20% visual and auditory impairments.
❖ Prevalence of Intellectual Disability
o 1-3% of the population has an intellectual disability
▪ 80-85% have an IQ in the mild category
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