Create a study guide for your assigned disorder. Your study guide should be in the form of an outline with references, and you should incorporate visual elements such as concept maps, charts, diagrams, images, color coding, mnemonics, and/or flashcards. Be creative! It should not be in the format of an APA paper. Your guide should be informed by the DSM-5-TR but also supported by at least three other scholarly resources.
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Areas of importance you should address, but are not limited to, are:
Signs and symptoms according to the DSM-5-TR
Differential diagnoses
Incidence
Development and course
Prognosis
Considerations related to culture, gender, age
Pharmacological treatments, including any side effects
Nonpharmacological treatments
Diagnostics and labs
Comorbidities
Legal and ethical considerations
Pertinent patient education considerations
Note: Please make sure to carefully follow the instructions and rubic. Use the example of the study guide in the resources.
Intellectual Disability (ID)
Definition
ID is a significant deficiency in intelligence (thinking/planning) and learning capacity (reasoning/problem-solving or adapting to daily life to meet the demands of self-care, communication, and social relationships), first appearing in the first eighteen years of life (Patel et al., 2020).
Signs & Symptoms (DSM-5-TR)
Criteria
Adaptive functioning deficits
Intellectual functioning deficits
Definition
Challenges in everyday practical, social, and conceptual skills needed for independent living (Maia et al., 2021).
Limitations in cognitive abilities such as reasoning, problem-solving, and abstract thinking (Maia et al., 2021).
Main Focus
Practical application of skills in daily life, including self-care, communication, and social skills. Learning, thinking ability, specific learning skills, psychological process, and academic skills (Maia et al., 2021).
Areas of Concern
– Interpersonal/Cognitive.
Category
– Conceptual knowledge (writing I, speaking, reading).
Domains Affected
– Conceptual Skills (e.g., communication, literacy)
– Social Skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, social judgment)
– Practical Skills (e.g., self-care, money management, job skills)
– Reasoning
– Problem-solving
– Planning
– Abstract thinking
– Academic learning
Example of Conceptual Deficits
Difficulty understanding and expressing ideas, reading, or writing effectively (Maia et al., 2021).
Difficulty understanding abstract concepts or applying logic to problem-solving.
Example of Social Deficits
Trouble forming relationships, interpreting social cues, or following social norms.
Difficulty using judgment or reasoning in social situations.
Example of Practical Deficits
Inability to perform daily tasks such as cooking, managing finances, or personal hygiene without help.
Struggles with academic learning and acquiring knowledge necessary for managing tasks.
Measurement Tools
– Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
– Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS)
– IQ Tests (e.g., Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale)
Impact on Daily Life
Affects independent living, personal care, social participation, and practical responsibilities.
Affects cognitive tasks such as learning, decision-making, and planning.
Intervention Focus
Emphasis on life skills training, behavioral therapy, and social skills development to enhance daily functioning (Jacob et al., 2021).
Cognitive support, special education, and teaching academic concepts (Jacob et al., 2021).
The severity of the symptoms
Differential Diagnoses
Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD
Learning Disabilities
Hearing loss is often considered as SHI but may be defined otherwise depending on the country Specific Hearing Impairments (example: hearing loss)
Intellectual disability with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Why ASD is a Differential Diagnosis: There are indications of both ID and ASD in areas of language delay, social communication impairment and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour, interest and activities (Hudac et al., 2024). This makes it difficult to distinguish one from the other Since the symptoms of the two conditions overlap.
Key Differences: ASD is mainly characterized by a major impairment in social interaction and communication and restricted or repetitive behavior patterns; on the other hand, intellectual disability entails a substantial impairment in cognitive ability, including learning, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities (Jacob et al., 2022). While some children and adults diagnosed with ASD have average or even above average IQ, they nevertheless demonstrate difficulty in socialization and possess low levels of adaptive functioning. It differently concerns total functioning of intellectual abilities as compared to learning disability.
Distinguishing Features: As developmental history and assessment of social skills, language, behavior are so important to uncover possible differentiation between the two disorders – ASD and ID. Lack of social interaction as well as social misunderstandings such as failure to make eye contact as well as other comparable social abnormalities are characteristic to a person with ASD but not a person with ID (Maia et al., 2021). By excluding cognitive and adaptive testing, it may become rather difficult to determine if a child has actual intellectual impairments or if he or she is just failing to meet social communication standards of ASD.
Learning Disabilities
Why Learning Disabilities are a Differential Diagnosis: LDs like dyslexia or dyscalculia may lead to serious learning disabilities, and distinct deficiencies of various learning processes, but they do not interfere with a child’s IQ. This can lead to confusion with intellectual disability something that is evident especially when children drop out of school or don’t excel despite attending school.
Key Differences: The major difference is that learning disabilities are characterized by the child’s deficits in basic skills in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and the like which are in contrast to more general intellectual processes such as deliberation or conclusion- making, which remain average (Maia et al., 2021). However, in Intellectual disability one can incur moderately or severely impaired intellectual abilities and across all the domains of intellectual functioning.
Distinguishing Features: Annual Global revenue of Learning designed for people with ID By contrast, learning disabilities require special tools of measurement, including cognitive and educational assessment like IQ test or specific learning assessment. A child with LD will score normally or even high on an IQ profile with average or above performance on a general learning measure but is likely to have low achievement in skill learning as compared to an ID individual who will portray a low IQ in general learning measure coupled with broader learning difficulties.
Specific Hearing Impairment (SHI) are hearing loss or deterioration in the hearing capability of one or both ears to frequencies greater than 2 kilohertz.
Why Hearing Loss is a Differential Diagnosis: If hearing impaired especially where it is not detected at an early enough stage or not treated appropriately it may cause late speech, language, learning destrapa which if not differentiated from may be presumed to be a learning disability. Secondary factors that stem from communication lessen are likely to manifest some of the adaptive functioning deficits observed in ID.
Key Differences: The Terms hearing impairments can be defined as the difficulties in comprehending and producing spoken language but no directly affect the intellective functions of the person such as reasoning, memory or problem-solving capability. The foregoing findings concur with research by ASHA, which indicated that the general development of children’s intelligence is normal if they have hearing problems and if these problems are addressed properly (for instance, through the use of hearing aids or sign language). However, intellectual disability impacts a person’s total intellectual capacity disregarding the losses of one or the other of their senses (Maia et al., 2021).
Distinguishing Features: He administered audiological assessments which help establish the difference between hearing impaired and intellectually disabled persons, speech and language assessments, and cognition tests. If a child’s cognitive skills are fine but there are problems with the development speech or language, then hearing loss is a better diagnosis. Minimally, children with hearing impaired progress in communication when properly managed unlike the children with ID who have other continuing cognitive and adaptative concerns.
Incidence
Global Prevalence: Incurs an estimated 1-3 of persons in the general population or 30,000 to 100,000 people. They occur frequently in low-income countries since, for instance, the incidence of many of the risk factors driving the condition is high, such as malnutrition or lack of healthcare.
Development and Course
Early Childhood: Developmental delays that are characterised by slow achievement of developmental landmarks.
Lifelong Condition: Family members may have these symptoms their entire life, however the severity can be reduced when support is given.
Variable Progression: People learn abilities and self-sufficiency; others need to be cared for throughout their entire lives.
Prognosis
Mild to Moderate: Moderate amount of independency, to be able to partially live on their own with supervision.
Severe to Profound: Cautions that they can require longterm help and support for very simple tasks.
The child’s quality of life increases with use of early developmental and education services.
Cultural, Gender and Age Issues
Cultural Sensitivity: People with disability experience different cultural attitudes; the availability of services may also differ.
Gender: More common in males because most of the genetic diseases are X-linked.
Age: The disease should be diagnosed at an early stage; dementia in elderly patients may worsen the situation.
Pharmacological Treatments
No specific medications for ID, but symptom management is possible:
Antipsychotics for aggression/ SI
Side effects: Weight gain, drowsiness
Stimulants are used in the management of ADHD-like symptoms.
Side effects: Insomnia, reduced appetite
Nonpharmacological Treatments
Educational Interventions: Speciality education geared towards the fact that students differ.
Behavioral Therapy: Intensively based on the clients’ need for enhancing adaptive behaviors, communication and social skills (Moreno et al., 2021).
Speech Therapy: Hence, for patients to communicate effectively and to control their urges; for those suffering from asperger’s syndrome, for intellectual disabilities or mental retardation, Autism, Tourette’s syndrome and other related disorders (Torra Moreno et al., 2021).
Occupational Therapy: It develops personal and instrumental activities of daily living skills.
Diagnostics & Labs
IQ Testing: A person with an IQ of 70 or less would mean that they take some standardized assessments.
Adaptive Functioning Assessments: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales abbreviated as VABS were used.
Genetic Testing: In case of such diseases such as Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome.
Comorbidities
ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
After Thirty: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Seizure Disorders
Mental Health Disorders: Depression, anxiety.
Co-morbidities are well established in people with ID, firstly because a significant proportion of the genetic, neurobiological and environmental processes which contribute to ID, also pre-dispose the individual to the co-morbid conditions. Here’s a discussion of how each of the following comorbidities arises concerning intellectual disability:
Autism spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Incidence in ID: The subset of individuals with ASD is known to have other conditions such as intellectual disability frequently. Currently, about thirty to forty percent of the people that are diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and other related autism spectrum disorders also have some measure of mental retardation.
How it Comes About: ASD can be linked with particular genetic mutations or developmental brain disorders, as well as with ID. ASD and ID both are neurodevelopmental disorders which have many common symptoms in terms of communication, social interactions and repetitive behaviors (Hudac et al., 2024). However, there are cases where chromosomal disorders or some toxins acting on the fetus before birth can cause both disorders that will present at the same time.
Shared Symptoms: As in cases with ID, ASD can affect communications, processing and learning disability, and poor daily living skills. Symptoms’ intensity may vary, though social communication impairments are one of the key DSM-5 features of ASD potentially more severe in individuals with ID.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Incidence in ID: ADHD is one of the most common coexisting disorders in clients with ID. According to the current review, about 9-15% of children with ID suffer from ADHD, although this value may differ in different populations.
How it Comes About: There is an association between ADHD and ID which may be due to developmental Disabilities of the brain that manifests inattention, hyperactivity and cognitive function. Dopamine and Norepinephrine the neurotransmitters in ADHD also cause deficits in an individual’s intellectual capital (Mutluer et al., 2022). The possible learning disability associated with ADHD is part and parcel of children with ID because they may find it difficult to focus, get distracted easily and be so impulsive.
Challenges in Diagnosis: A particular issue with a diagnosis of ADHD in people with ID is that attention and hyperactivity obstacles are often confused with genuine impairments. However, strict attention deficit hyperactivity disorder worsens such problems in learning academic contents and functioning in daily life.
Seizure Disorders
Incidence in ID: Epilepsy and other seizure disorders are also more apparent in clients with intellectual disabilities. Epilepsy is more common among persons with ID than within the wider community, with estimates that 20-40% of ID people have epilepsy compared to 1-2% of the general population.
How it Comes About; The high rate of seizure in people with ID can be due to intrigical abnormalities of the brain, either due to prenatal or perinatal insult or genetic syndromes or traumatic head injuries. The same pathological changes that affect cognition may also give rise to abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and therefore, epilepsy (Jacob et al., 2022).
Impact on Intellectual Functioning: Epilepsy can increase cognitive decline and may cause additional deterioration in thinking and other skills for those who have epilepsy that is poorly managed or for those who have epilepsy that is not well regulated. An important consideration when taking some medications that are used to manage seizure also have a side effect of impairing attention, memory as well as learning.
4 . Mental Health Disorders: Depression and Anxiety
Incidence in ID: The prevalence and incidence of major depressive disorder in clients with ID ranges from 10-30 percent and the prevalence of anxiety disorder is also high in this kind of population due to mood swings and other related various factors. But mental health disorders are least likely to be reported in this population.
How it Comes About: The cause of depression and anxiety in persons with ID might be attributed to primary or secondary causes. Contributing factors include:
Cognitive Awareness: While those with moderate to severe ID may be aware of their essential lacking and thus may exhibit defiance, annoyance, hopelessness and low self-efficacy. This self-awareness can raise the level of depression.
Environmental Stressors: Established also was the correlation between decreased individual liberty, such as being practically dependent on the carers’ help and having no opportunity to communicate with peers, and the likelihood of nervous breakdowns in the form of anxiety or depression. People with ID are vulnerable to stress categories, such as family and health-related pressures and discrimination that harms mental wellness.
Neurobiological Factors: Serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic dysfunctions have been implicated in anxiety and depression. Also, certain metabolic disorders that lead to ID also influence the areas of the brain that regulate mood.
Challenges in Diagnosis: Assessment of depression and anxiety in persons with ID is challenging because of language impairments and because they may report their psychological distress in physical terms. Because clients with ID experience mood and behavioral changes at a much higher rate, signs such as irritability, aggression, sleep disturbances or appetite changes may be dismissed as the symptoms of the disorder rather than of a manifesting depression or anxiety.
Legal and Ethical Consideration
Patient Rights: They have the right to option in terms of choice in education, health facilities or employment.
Informed Consent: In certain severe instances, it becomes very necessary that a legal ward be placed under guardianship.
Advocacy: Stigma and Discrimination.
Pertinent Patient Education
Family Education: Informing caregivers on basic requirements such as different care as well as behavioral approaches.
Community Resources: Prescribed teaching or instruction, educational training for employment, and support groups (Torra Moreno et al., 2021).
Long-term Planning: Concerns with family law, specifically in terms of legal guardianship, and financial planning such as trusts for the disabled.
References
Hudac, C. M., Friedman, N. R., Ward, V. R., Estreicher, R. E., Dorsey, G. C., Bernier, R. A., … & Neuhaus, E. (2024). Characterizing sensory phenotypes of subgroups with a known genetic etiology pertaining to diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 54 (6), 2386-2401. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-023-05897-9
Jacob, U. S., Edozie, I. S., & Pillay, J. (2022). Strategies for enhancing social skills of individuals with intellectual disability: A systematic review. Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences , 3 , 968314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.968314
Maia, N., Nabais Sá, M. J., Melo-Pires, M., de Brouwer, A. P., & Jorge, P. (2021). Intellectual disability genomics: current state, pitfalls and future challenges. BMC genomics , 22 , 1-17. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12864-021-08227-4
Moreno, M. T., Sans, J. C., & Fosch, M. T. C. (2021). Behavioral and cognitive interventions with digital devices in subjects with intellectual disability: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 12 . https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyt.2021.647399
Mutluer, T., Aslan Genç, H., Özcan Morey, A., Yapici Eser, H., Ertinmaz, B., Can, M., & Munir, K. (2022). Population-based psychiatric comorbidity in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 13 , 856208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.856208
Patel, D. R., Cabral, M. D., Ho, A., & Merrick, J. (2020). A clinical primer on intellectual disability. Translational pediatrics , 9 (Suppl 1), S23. https://doi.org/10.21037%2Ftp.2020.02.02
Torra Moreno, M., Canals Sans, J., & Colomina Fosch, M. T. (2021). Behavioral and cognitive interventions with digital devices in subjects with intellectual disability: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 12 , 647399. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.647399
