Adaptive Functioning & Communication associated with Different Levels of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
Intellectual Functioning a, b |
Adaptive Functioning a, c (McCreary 2005) |
Communication (Anderson 2002) |
MILD
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MODERATE
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SEVERE
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PROFOUND
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Notes
a. Understanding the intellectual abilities and adaptive functioning of persons with IDD sets the stage for productive clinical encounters. This, in turn, leads to optimal assessments and appropriate treatments. It also promotes better partnership with persons with IDD and enables them to participate in their own health care.
- Intellectual abilities include reasoning, planning, solving problems, thinking abstractly, comprehending complex ideas, and learning from experience.
- Different levels of intellectual and adaptive functioning require different types and intensity of supports and service coordination.
b. Levels of intellectual functioning are described in terms of Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Age Equivalence (AE), performance in school and percentiles.
- This information can be helpful as a general guide but does not always reflect the person with IDD’s individual capabilities.
c. Adaptive functioning or adaptive behavior refers to the skills (conceptual, social, and practical) that a person with IDD has to handle the common demands of everyday life. It is an indication of how independent he or she is, compared to others with IDD of a similar age and level of intellectual functioning.
- Areas of adaptive functioning that are affected to varying degrees in persons with IDD include self-care abilities, receptive and expressive language, social skills, understanding, learning and remembering new things, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.
Developed by: Bruce Edwards, Speech-Language Pathologist, Surrey Place Centre, Valerie Temple, Psychologist, Surrey Place Centre and Laurie Dunn, Pharmacist, MUMS.
Original tool: ©2011 Surrey Place Centre.
References
- McCreary BD. Developmental disabilities and dual diagnosis: A guide for Canadian psychiatrists, Kingston, ON: Developmental Consulting Program, Queen’s University, 2005.
- Anderson M. In: “Help me speak”: Speech language pathology services provided to individuals with dual diagnosis – reference table: Communication interventions & adults with DD – level of severity and projected outcomes. State of the HART: Habilitative Achievements in Research and Treatment for mental health in developmental disabilities; April 18, 19, 20, 2002; Vancouver, BC: Interprofessional Continuing Education, University of British Columbia, 2002. pp.113-126.