| dc.description.abstract | Intellectual disability (ID) is not a disease itself, rather it is a condition that is
characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptation in
conceptual and practical skills (van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk & Walsh, 2008); though
engaging in community living and social skills can also be affected (Fisher, 2004). Examples of
adaptation skills include communication, self-care, and self-direction. Diagnosing the presence
of ID is usually conducted by a psychologist using established criteria including having an
intelligence quotient (IQ) score of 70 or below, with an onset of the condition before the age of
18 (APA, 1994).
There are a number of terms that have been used by healthcare professionals to
define intellectual disability. The term “mental retardation”, though still used within the
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), is currently considered unacceptable by most
(World Health Organization, 2001), The term intellectual disability (ID) is generally preferred,
and will be used in this paper, | |
