The psychopathology of children with intellectual disabilities

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511543616.007

6 - The psychopathology of children with intellectual disabilities

from Part II - Psychopathology and special topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 December 2009

Bruce Tonge

Edited by

Nick Bouras and

Geraldine Holt

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Bruce Tonge: Affiliation:
Professor of Psychiatry, Monash University
Nick Bouras: Affiliation:
King's College London
Geraldine Holt: Affiliation:
King's College London

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Summary

Introduction

There is no doubt that emotional and behavioural problems are a significant extra dimension that burdens the lives of many children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and their families and carers. Young people with ID have about three times as much psychiatric disturbance as children of average intelligence. Rutter et al. (1970), in their Isle of Wight population study, found that 50 per cent of children with ID with an IQ below 70 had a psychiatric disorder, compared with 6.8 per cent of children with an IQ above 70. Corbett (1979), in a study of the urban area of south-east London, found a prevalence rate of psychiatric disorder of 47 per cent in children aged up to 15 years of IQ below 50.

An epidemiological study of Australian children with ID aged between 4 and 18 years found that 41 per cent had a clinically significant emotional or behavioural disorder (Einfeld & Tonge, 1996). The study also found that disruptive and antisocial behaviours were more common in young people with mild ID but self-absorbed and social relating problem behaviours were more common in young people with more severe ID. In contrast to general childhood psychopathology, age and sex did not affect prevalence. Of concern was that fewer than 10 per cent of these children with ID had received any specialist mental health services.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Psychiatric and Behavioural Disorders in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities , pp. 93 - 112

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511543616.007 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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