Types Of Intellectual Disabilities (and Characteristics)
Oligophrenia, mental retardation, intellectual disability… all these words refer to the same concept, with which we refer to those people who have cognitive resources less than what would be expected due to their chronological age. People who have any of the types of intellectual disabilities.
This type of disability generally causes severe difficulties in adapting to the environment, unless they are given a sufficient level of help. But intellectual disability is not unique and homogeneous in all people who suffer from it, but we can find different types or degrees. depending on the degree of functional impairment and level of IQ.
Intelligence is a construct that refers to the individual’s ability to be able to adapt to the environment. and resolve the situations you encounter. Regardless of how it is viewed within the multiple theories in this regard, different people will have their mental abilities organized in different ways and will have their mental abilities affected for various reasons and variables. Each of us has a specific and distinctive degree of ability or capacity in different areas and abilities, including the ability to solve problems and adapt to the environment.
To assess the level of intelligence of the population The level of IQ has been traditionally usedunderstood as the relationship between mental age and chronological age of the individual to be assessed. Taking into account that there is great variability in the scores reflected by the entire population, it is necessary to take into account that it will always be expected that there will be a certain dispersion of scores around the mean. This expected dispersion is conceptualized as standard deviation.
Statistically, intelligence follows a normal distribution. That is, if we rate the cognitive abilities of a population with an intelligence test, a large majority of people would have very similar scores to each other while few individuals would have scores far from the majority. People with this type of scores, far from the majority, could either score more or less.
Having set the average IQ at a value of 100 and the standard deviation being 15, values that are at a distance of at least two standard deviations are considered normative. If these two deviations occur above, we would be talking about giftedness, while if values two deviations below the mean are given We will be talking about a level of intelligence corresponding to intellectual disability.
Intellectual disability is understood as a condition in which people who suffer from it have severe limitations and deficiencies in intellectual functioning, having problems in reasoning, planning, problem solving or learning.
In addition, these people have deficiencies in adaptation to the environment, needing help in one or more dimensions of human functioning so that they can their daily life is not limited in their personal autonomy and social participation. It is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder, and it is necessary that these difficulties be observed during development.
However, this is not a completely homogeneous category, and that is why different types of intellectual disabilities have been established according to the degree to which they differ from the average.
Different degrees of disability
Cognitive skills are important to be able to respond efficiently to the demands of the environment. Thus, people who have a reduced capacity in these types of skills will find themselves having difficulties coping with situations that arise throughout their lives.
Depending on the level of difficulty that these people encounter in their daily lives and the IQ level reflected by intelligence tests, The existence of various groups, types or degrees of intellectual disability has been considered..
However, it must be taken into account that the degree of IQ is not an absolute measure, but rather a relative one; It is always a function of a reference group, since the IQ indicates the position that the person occupies in the distribution of scores obtained. Therefore, by changing the reference group a score may be within the normal range of intelligence or what is considered to be intellectual disability. IQ indicates individual differences between people, but to accurately measure a person’s true cognitive abilities there are other tools and methods.
1. Mild
Mild or light intellectual disability is considered to be that which people with an IQ that is between 50 and 70corresponding to two standard deviations below the population mean. The majority of people with intellectual disabilities (approximately 85%) are at this level.
People with this degree of intellectual disability mainly have a delay in the cognitive field and a slight impairment in the sensorimotor. Learning abilities are slightly behind, but they can remain in the educational system, train and carry out professional activity adequately. They are able to read, write and perform calculations, although they usually require a longer learning period than others. In fact, it is possible that during preschool no major differences are observed with their peers.
Some problems can be seen in memory, executive functions and abstract thinking. Their communication and social skills may be good, although they often show some difficulty detecting social cues and regulating their emotions and behavior. These are mostly autonomous people, requiring social guidance in specific situations, and help with legal, economic or parenting issues. Although they need support, their adaptation to the environment is normally satisfactory.
2. Moderate
In this degree of intellectual disability the difficulties are greater. At an educational level, they can usually benefit from specific job training, generally in order to carry out low-skilled and supervised work. They can have autonomy in self-care and movement.
The conceptual abilities of these subjects develop very slowly, there being a great difference with respect to the peer group. They usually need help when the tasks to be carried out require processing complex concepts. Their communication is efficient socially, although not very complex. The subject is capable of establishing relationships with the environment and making new links with people outside the family.
While they may have trouble following social conventions, they generally adapt well to community life, especially with supervision. The individual can take responsibility for his or her own decisions and participate in social life, although with help and a prolonged learning period.
People with a moderate degree of intellectual disability They usually reflect an IQ ofbetween 35-50.
3. Serious
With an IQ between 20 and 35the problems for people with this level of disability are generally of great importance, requiring help and continuous supervision. Many of them have neurological damage..
At a conceptual level, the skills of people who suffer from this degree of intellectual disability are reduced, having little understanding of reading and numerical concepts. Communicationally language is possible but limited, focusing on the present and it is common for them to use holophrases or single words. They understand simple gestural and oral communication, being the relationship with loved ones a source of joy.
In day-to-day activities, these subjects always need to be supervised and cared for, depending on help and guardians. They can learn to speak and perform simple tasks. Their adjustment to the community may be good unless they have some other associated disability. Acquiring skills is possible, needing constant help and a long learning process. Some of them self-harm. At a legal level they are considered incapable of making their own decisions.
The highest degree of intellectual disability and also the most uncommon, people with this level of disability have an IQ of less than 20. They need to be cared for constantly, having very few options unless they enjoy a very high level of help and supervision. Their survival rate is generally low.
Most of them have great difficulties and other serious disabilities, as well as major neurological problems. At a conceptual level, these people use mainly physical concepts, suffering from serious difficulties in using symbolic processes. The use of objects for self-care, work or leisure is possible but it is common that other alterations prevent them from being used functionally. At a sensorimotor level they are very limited, as well as at a communicative level.
Regarding the communication and social field, they can understand instructions and gestures, but they have to be simple and direct. Emotional expression occurs mainly through direct non-verbal communication, without symbolism. They enjoy relationships with familiar people. On a practical level, the subject will be dependent for most activitiesalthough they can help in some activities, allowing them to participate in the daily life of the home and society.
The need for help
As a conclusion to this article, it is relevant to mention that a person It is only disabled to the extent that it does not have the tools to adapt to the environment.due to their difficulties and the lack of support to help them resolve them. In this sense, intellectual disability is no exception. We cannot simply point out that someone has an intellectual disability and limit the problem to the individual; Society has a lot to say when it comes to changing the living conditions of these people in vulnerable situations.
Work must be done from different disciplines (psychology, judicial field, legislative field, education and social assistance, among others) so that these people and the people who care for them can participate actively in the social life of the community, establishing bridges between the capabilities of each individual and what society can offer and demand through the granting of specific and functional aid.
