This document discusses mental retardation and general learning disabilities. It defines mental retardation as a disorder appearing before adulthood that is characterized by impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors. It discusses intelligence testing and the bell curve model of intelligence. It also outlines diagnostic criteria for mental retardation and describes common genetic disorders associated with mental retardation such as Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Phenylketonuria, and William syndrome.

1. Mental Retardation orMental Retardation or
General Learning DisabilityGeneral Learning Disability
Psychology 001Psychology 001

2. Mental RetardationMental Retardation
• disorder appearing before adulthood,disorder appearing before adulthood,
characterized by significantly impaired cognitivecharacterized by significantly impaired cognitive
functioning and deficits in two or more adaptivefunctioning and deficits in two or more adaptive
behaviorbehavior
• historically been defined as an intelligencehistorically been defined as an intelligence
quotient score under 70quotient score under 70

3. Adaptive BehaviorAdaptive Behavior
• Daily living skillsDaily living skills
• Communications / Mental abilityCommunications / Mental ability
• Social skillsSocial skills

4. Adaptive BehaviorAdaptive Behavior
Unconstructive / Disruptive behaviorUnconstructive / Disruptive behavior
Constructive Behavior

5. Alfred BinetAlfred Binet
Standford-Binet Intelligence TestStandford-Binet Intelligence Test
Intelligence Test

6. Bell CurveBell Curve

7. Scale of Human IntelligenceScale of Human Intelligence
145Genius145Genius
130 - 144Superior130 - 144Superior
120 - 129Bright or Smart120 - 129Bright or Smart
110 - 119High Average110 - 119High Average
90-109Average or Normal90-109Average or Normal
80 - 89Low Average80 - 89Low Average
70 – 79Borderline Impaired (Delayed)70 – 79Borderline Impaired (Delayed)
55 - 69Mildly Impaired55 - 69Mildly Impaired
40 - 54Moderately Impaired40 - 54Moderately Impaired
Below 20 Severe Mental Retardation (Profound)Below 20 Severe Mental Retardation (Profound)

8. Signs & SymptomsSigns & Symptoms
• Delays in oral language developmentDelays in oral language development
• Deficits in memory skillsDeficits in memory skills
• Difficulty learning social rulesDifficulty learning social rules
• Difficulty with problem solving skillsDifficulty with problem solving skills
• Delays in the development of adaptive behaviorsDelays in the development of adaptive behaviors
such as self-help or self-care skillssuch as self-help or self-care skills
• Lack of social inhibitorsLack of social inhibitors

9. Diagnostic Criteria for MentalDiagnostic Criteria for Mental
Retardation (DSM IV-TR)Retardation (DSM IV-TR)
• Significantly subaverage intellectual functioningSignificantly subaverage intellectual functioning
• an IQ of approximately 70 or below on anan IQ of approximately 70 or below on an
individually administered IQ test.individually administered IQ test.

10. Diagnostic Criteria for MentalDiagnostic Criteria for Mental
Retardation (DSM IV-TR)Retardation (DSM IV-TR)
• Concurrent deficits or impairments in presentConcurrent deficits or impairments in present
adaptive functioningadaptive functioning
• Effectiveness in meeting the standards expectedEffectiveness in meeting the standards expected
for his or her age by his or her cultural groupfor his or her age by his or her cultural group
• Communication, self-care, home living,Communication, self-care, home living,
social/interpersonal skills, use of communitysocial/interpersonal skills, use of community
resources, self-direction, functional academicresources, self-direction, functional academic
skills, work, leisure, health and safetyskills, work, leisure, health and safety

11. Diagnostic Criteria for MentalDiagnostic Criteria for Mental
Retardation (DSM IV-TR)Retardation (DSM IV-TR)
• Onset is before age 18 yearsOnset is before age 18 years

12. Degree of Intellectual ImpairmentDegree of Intellectual Impairment
(DSM IV-TR)(DSM IV-TR)
• Mild mental retardationMild mental retardation
• IQ level 50-55 toIQ level 50-55 to
approximately 70approximately 70
• Moderate mentalModerate mental
retardationretardation
• IQ level 35-40 to 50-55IQ level 35-40 to 50-55

13. Degree of Intellectual ImpairmentDegree of Intellectual Impairment
(DSM IV-TR)(DSM IV-TR)
• Severe mental retardationSevere mental retardation
• IQ level 20-25 to 35-40IQ level 20-25 to 35-40
• Profound mentalProfound mental
retardationretardation
• IQ level below 20 or 25IQ level below 20 or 25

14. Common Genetic DisordersCommon Genetic Disorders
• Fragile X SyndromeFragile X Syndrome
• Down SyndromeDown Syndrome
• Klinefelter SyndromeKlinefelter Syndrome
• Phenylketonuria SyndromePhenylketonuria Syndrome
• William SyndromeWilliam Syndrome

15. Fragile X SyndromeFragile X Syndrome
• most widespread single-most widespread single-
gene cause of autism andgene cause of autism and
inherited cause of mentalinherited cause of mental
retardation among boysretardation among boys

16. Signs & SymptomsSigns & Symptoms
• elongated face,elongated face,
• large or protruding ears,large or protruding ears,
flat feet,flat feet,
• larger testes andlarger testes and
• low muscle tonelow muscle tone

17. AutismAutism
• is a disorder of neuralis a disorder of neural
developmentdevelopment
characterized bycharacterized by
impaired socialimpaired social
interaction and verbalinteraction and verbal
and non-verbaland non-verbal
communication, and bycommunication, and by
restricted, repetitive orrestricted, repetitive or
stereotyped behaviorstereotyped behavior

18. Autism – Diagnostic CriteriaAutism – Diagnostic Criteria
• symptoms becomesymptoms become
apparent before a child isapparent before a child is
three years oldthree years old

19. Autism – BehaviorAutism – Behavior
• Stereotype – repetitive movement e.g. handStereotype – repetitive movement e.g. hand
flapping, head rolling, or body rocking.flapping, head rolling, or body rocking.
• Compulsive behavior – intended and appears toCompulsive behavior – intended and appears to
follow rules e.g. arranging objects in stacks orfollow rules e.g. arranging objects in stacks or
line.line.

20. Autism – BehaviorAutism – Behavior
• Sameness – resistance to changeSameness – resistance to change
• Ritualistic behavior – unvarying pattern of dailyRitualistic behavior – unvarying pattern of daily
activities, e.g. menu or dressing ritualactivities, e.g. menu or dressing ritual
• Restricted behavior – limited in focus, interest,Restricted behavior – limited in focus, interest,
or activity, e.g. preoccupationor activity, e.g. preoccupation
• Self-injury – movements that injure or can injureSelf-injury – movements that injure or can injure
self.self.

21. Klinefelter SyndromeKlinefelter Syndrome
• 47,XXY47,XXY oror XXY syndromeXXY syndrome
• at least one extra X chromosome to a standardat least one extra X chromosome to a standard
human male karyotype, for a total of 47human male karyotype, for a total of 47
chromosomes rather than the 46 found inchromosomes rather than the 46 found in
genetically normal humans.genetically normal humans.
• individuals with the condition are usuallyindividuals with the condition are usually
referred to as "XXY males", or "47,XXY males"referred to as "XXY males", or "47,XXY males"

22. Klinefelter SyndromeKlinefelter Syndrome
• EffectsEffects
• HypogonadismHypogonadism
• diminished functional activity of the gonads –diminished functional activity of the gonads –
the testes and ovaries in males and femalesthe testes and ovaries in males and females
• Reduced FertilityReduced Fertility

23. William SyndromeWilliam Syndrome
• Neurodevelopmental disorder is an impairmentNeurodevelopmental disorder is an impairment
of the growth and development of the brain orof the growth and development of the brain or
central nervous systemcentral nervous system

24. CharacteristicsCharacteristics
• distinctive, "elfin" facial appearancedistinctive, "elfin" facial appearance
• with a low nasal bridgewith a low nasal bridge
• an unusually cheerful demeanoran unusually cheerful demeanor
• ease with strangersease with strangers

25. PhenylketonuriaPhenylketonuria
• metabolic genetic disordermetabolic genetic disorder
• Phe buildup hinders the development of thePhe buildup hinders the development of the
brain, causing mental retardationbrain, causing mental retardation

26. PhenylketonuriaPhenylketonuria

27. Down SyndromeDown Syndrome
• most commonmost common
chromosomechromosome
abnormality # 21abnormality # 21
• delay in cognitive abilitydelay in cognitive ability
• delay in physical growthdelay in physical growth
• particular set of facialparticular set of facial
characteristicscharacteristics

28. Down SyndromeDown Syndrome
• large proportion oflarge proportion of
individuals with Downindividuals with Down
syndrome have a severesyndrome have a severe
degree of intellectualdegree of intellectual
disabilitydisability