KCEP 210: Intellectual Disability Study Notes

KCEP 210: Intellectual Disability

Overview

  • Focus: KIN/CEP intervention in the greater Montreal area, examples include:

    • Douglas Hospital (Roberts Recreation Center)

    • Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital

    • Special Olympics

    • CIVA (Centre d’intégration à la vie active)

Intellectual Disability: Definition and Diagnosis

  • Definition: Intellectual Disability (ID) indicates substantial limitations in personal capabilities, impacting various adaptive skills.

  • Manifestation:

    • Significantly subaverage intellect, commonly assessed via IQ tests, typically scoring under 70.

    • Concurrent related disabilities in 2 or more of the following adaptive skill areas:

    • Communications

    • Self-care

    • Home living

    • Social skills

    • Community use

    • Self-direction

    • Health and safety

    • Functional academics

    • Work

    • Leisure

  • New Concept: Adaptive functioning

  • Age of Onset: ID begins before age 18, during the developmental period.

Range of Intellectual Disabilities and Functional Level

  • Classification:

    • Mild ID: IQ range of 50/55 to 70

    • Can learn reading, writing, and math skills typically at 3rd to 6th-grade levels.

    • May achieve independent living and employment.

    • Moderate ID: IQ range 35/40 to 50/55

    • Severe ID: IQ range 20/25 to 35/30

    • Profound ID: IQ below 20/25

Incidence

  • Statistics:

    • Distribution of ID by classification:

    • Mild: 90%

    • Moderate: 5%

    • Severe: 3.5%

    • Profound: 1.5%

    • Total prevalence of ID in the Canadian population ranges from 0.5% to 1%, equating to approximately 190,000 to 380,000 individuals.

  • Global Consideration: Higher global incidence of ID due to various factors such as malnutrition.

Theoretical Distribution of IQ Scores

  • Nature vs. Nurture: Discussions regarding whether IQ is a result of genetic predisposition or influenced by environmental stimulation during childhood and adolescence.

  • Noted populations: University students showing a stable incidence rate of 3% for ID.

Etiology (Causes) of Intellectual Disabilities

  • Unexplained Cases:

    • No clear etiology for 30-40% of ID cases despite testing.

  • Periods of Development:

    • Prenatal: Conception to the 27th week of pregnancy.

    • Perinatal: 28th week of pregnancy to 28 days after birth.

    • Postnatal: Anytime before age 18.

Causes by Period

  • Prenatal Factors:

    • Chromosomal/genetic disorders (e.g., Fragile X syndrome, which may lead to autism).

    • Down syndrome due to chromosomal errors.

  • Environmental Influences:

    • Maternal alcohol and drug use contributing to 10 to 20% of mild ID cases.

    • Illnesses such as rubella and STIs (e.g., HIV/AIDS) impacting fetal development.

    • Associated characteristics include smaller head size, abnormal facial features, coordination issues.

  • Perinatal:

    • Complications during labor/delivery, low birth weight.

  • Postnatal:

    • Childhood diseases (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis).

    • Environmental toxins (e.g., lead exposure), malnutrition, and neglect.

Dendrite Formation and ID

  • Child neglect linked to abnormal dendrite formation, correlated with the severity of ID.

  • Fewer and longer dendrites associated with more significant ID impairments.

Learning Characteristics and Implications for Exercise

  • Learning Challenges:

    • Difficulty with abstract thinking and generalization; requires clear, concrete instructions.

    • Learning is at a slower pace requiring repetition for memory retention.

  • Social Characteristics: Individuals with ID may live independently with supervision if IQ is above 50.

Physical Characteristics

  • Developmental motor delays correlated with ID severity; can walk and talk significantly later than peers.

  • Fitness levels are often a problem area:

    • Decreased strength, endurance, balance, reaction time compared to non-ID individuals.

    • Body composition may lead to obesity issues.

Resistance Training Program Study

  • Purpose: To investigate the effects of a resistance training program on adults with mental retardation (ages 23-49).

  • Methodology:

    • Participants: 24 adults, classified as mentally retarded (IQ 40-70).

    • Random assignment into control and experimental groups; the experimental group underwent a 9-week resistance training program.

  • Apparatus: Nautilus machines were used for strength training.

  • Results: Significant improvement in muscular strength and endurance in the experimental group compared to controls after the program except for the leg extension.

Conclusion of the Study

  • Resistance training can considerably improve muscular strength and endurance in adults with mental retardation with minimal required assistance.

  • Community-based training programs can provide enjoyable physical activities beneficial for individuals with ID.

  • Future research should explore the link between fitness levels and employment opportunities for this demographic.