Subtypes of Intellectual Disability in School-Aged Children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2013.01.01.6Keywords:
Intellectual disability, cognitive strengths, children, neurodevelopmental disordersAbstract
Purpose: To explore the presence of subtypes of intellectual functioning in children with mild intellectual disability (ID) and to externally validate the subtypes on measures of academic, adaptive and psychosocial functioning.
Method: Participants were 167 children age 6-16 years with a mild ID. All children completed the WISC-III, WIAT, VABS, and PIC-R.
Results: Based on a two-stage cluster analysis on the four WISC-III Index scores four subtypes emerged reflecting distinct profiles: (1) language-strength subtype; (2) nonverbal strength subtype; (3) symbol-processing strength subtype; and (4) global deficits subtype. The subtypes were externally validated on tests of academic achievement, adaptive functioning, and psychosocial functioning.
Conclusions: Rather than only demonstrating a global or “flat” pattern of cognitive deficits, the findings suggest that children with mild ID have certain profiles of intellectual functioning that are similar to those seen in normal children and children with learning disabilities.
References
Konold TR, Glutting JJ, McDermott PA, Kush JC, Watkins MM. Structure and diagnostic benefits of a normative subtest taxonomy developed from the WISC-III standardization sample. J Sch Psychol 1999; 37: 29-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4405(98)00024-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4405(98)00024-7
Saunders C, Casey J, Jones D. Patterns of WISC-III performance in a heterogeneous neuropsychological sample. Clin Neuropsychol 2001; 15: 259.
Waxman RS, Casey JE. Empirically derived ability-achievement subtypes in a clinical sample. Child Neuropsychol 2006; 12: 23-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09297040500205561 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09297040500205561
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author 2000.
Wetherby AM, Yonclas DG, Bryan AA. Communicative profiles of preschool children with handicaps: Implications for early identification. J Speech Hear Disord 1989; 54: 148-58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1044/jshd.5402.148
Kasari C, Freeman SFN, Bass W. Empathy and response to distress in children with Down syndrome. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2003; 44: 424-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00132 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00132
Wolff PH, Gardner J, Paccia J, Lappen J. The greeting behavior of fragile X males. Am J Ment Retard 1989; 93: 406-11.
Ralston MB, Fuerst DR, Rourke BP. Comparison of the psychosocial typology of children with below average IQ to that of children with learning disabilities. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2003; 25: 255-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1076/jcen.25.2.255.13645 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1076/jcen.25.2.255.13645
Hodapp RM, Leckman JF, Dykens EM, Sparrow SS. K-ABC profiles in children with fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and nonspecific mental retardation. Am J Ment Retard 1992; 97: 39-46.
Wechsler D. Wechsler intelligence test for children-third edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation 1991.
Donders J. Cluster subtypes in the WISC-III standardization sample: Analysis of factor index scores. Psychol Assess 1996; 8: 312-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.8.3.312 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//1040-3590.8.3.312
American Association on Mental Retardation. Mental retardation: Definition, classification, and systems of supports. Washington, DC 2002.
Sparrow SS, Balla DA, Cichetti DV. Vineland adaptive behavior scales. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service 1984.
Carpentieri S, Morgan SB. Adaptive and intellectual functioning in autistic and nonautistic retarded children. J Autism Dev Disorder 1996; 26: 611-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02172350 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02172350
Liss M, Harel B, Fein D, et al. Predictors and correlates of adaptive functioning in children with developmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2001; 31: 219-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010707417274 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010707417274
Bacon A, Fein D, Morris R, Waterhouse L, Allen D. The response of autistic children to the distress of others. J Autism Dev Disord 1998; 28: 129-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1026040615628 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026040615628
Vig S, Jedrysek E. Adaptive behavior of young urban children with developmental disabilities. Ment Retard 1995; 33: 90-98.
Wechsler D. Wechsler individual achievement test. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation 1992.
Rourke BP Fuerst DR. Learning disabilities and psychosocial functioning: A neuropsychological perspective. New York: Guilford Press 1991.
Nunn RJ, Tonge BJ, Einfeld SE. Psychopathology subtypes in young people with mental retardation: A cluster analytical study. J Intellect Disabil Res 2000; 44: 864.
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Intellectual disability: Definition, classification, and systems of supports (Eleventh edition). Washington, DC 2010.
Kanaya T, Scullin MH, Ceci SJ. The Flynn Effect and U.S. policies: The impact of rising IQ scores on American society via mental retardation diagnoses. Am Psychol 2003; 58: 778-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.58.10.778 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.58.10.778
Morris R, Blashfield R, Satz P. Neuropsychology and cluster analysis: Potentials and problems. J Clin Neuropsychol 1981; 3: 79-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01688638108403115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01688638108403115
Fuerst DR, Rourke BP. Psychosocial functioning of children: Relations between personality subtypes and academic achievement. J Abnorm Child Psychol 1993; 21: 597-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00916445 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00916445
Donders J, Warschausky S. WISC-III factor index score patterns after traumatic head injury in children. Child Neuropsychol 1997; 3: 71-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09297049708401369 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049708401369
Hurley G, Levinson E. Profiles of learning disability subtypes in a retrospective sampling of adolescents’ scores on the woodcock-johnson psycho-educational battery-revised. Psychol Rep 2002; 90: 767-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2002.90.3.767 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2002.90.3.767
Koushik NS, Saunders CD, Rourke BP. Patterns of cognitive functioning in a referred sample of preschool children. Can J Sch Psychol 2007; 22: 94-107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0829573507301398 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0829573507301398
Rourke BP, Finlayson MAJ. Neuropsychological significance of variations in patterns of academic performance: Verbal and visual-spatial abilities. J Abnorm Child Psychol 1978; 6: 121-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00915788 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915788
Saunders C, Strang J, Jones D, Goertzen L. Subtypes of WIAT performance in a heterogeneous neuropsychological sample. Appl Multivariate Res 2006; 12: 95-105.
Wiegner S, Donders J. Performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test after traumatic brain injury. Assess 1999; 6: 179-187. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107319119900600205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/107319119900600205
Jones DA, Drummond C, Saunders CD, Strang JD. Creating an empirical typology: A review of cluster analysis and other classification techniques. Appl Multivariate Res 2006; 12: 73-93.
Morris RD, Fletcher JM. Classification in neuropsychology: A theoretical framework and research paradigm. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 1988; 10: 640-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01688638808402801 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01688638808402801
Emerson E. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with and without intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil Res 2003; 47: 51-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2788.2003.00464.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2788.2003.00464.x
Strang JD, Saunders CD, Casey JE. Enhancing clinical effectiveness through partnerships: A neuropsychological model. Ont Psychol 2002; 34: 6-7.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
