Biomaterial Database

Mild mental retardation and severe mental retardation compared: experiences in eight less developed countries. 1987

Z Stein, and L Belmont, and M Durkin

Sergievsky Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York.

Frequencies of Severe Mental Retardation (SMR) and Mild Mental Retardation (MMR) were obtained from pilot surveys of severe childhood disability in 8 less developed countries. Approximately 1,000 children aged 3 to 9 years were surveyed in each location. The surveys used a Ten Question (TQ) door-to-door interview, usually of the mother, as a screening procedure and a systematic medical and psychological assessment for the diagnosis. Diagnostic categories of SMR (IQ less than or equal to 55) and MMR (IQ greater than 55, less than or equal to 70) were assigned by well trained local psychologists, using formal and informal techniques of assessment. Contrasting frequencies and distributions for MMR compared with SMR are shown for each location. No consistent pattern for MMR versus SMR emerged, neither regarding frequency, male/female ratio, average age nor socio-economic status of household. By contrast, MMR did differ from SMR consistently regarding consanguinity of parents, the presence of associated impairments and the positive report of symptoms at interview. Also, the families of all MR children were lower in SES than comparison families. An interpretation of these findings is offered: the more severely disabled children tend to be assessed as SMR, but so do other children who might, in better circumstances, be assessed as MMR. The relevance of this interpretation is discussed, in terms of assessment and of rehabilitation, and as a guide to further epidemiologic studies.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008607	Intellectual Disability	Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28)	Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
D010865	Pilot Projects	Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work.	Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D011594	Psychometrics	Assessment of psychological variables by the application of mathematical procedures.	Psychometric
D011596	Psychomotor Disorders	Abnormalities of motor function that are associated with organic and non-organic cognitive disorders.	Psychomotor Impairment,Developmental Psychomotor Disorders,Psychomotor Disorders, Developmental,Developmental Psychomotor Disorder,Impairment, Psychomotor,Impairments, Psychomotor,Psychomotor Disorder, Developmental,Psychomotor Impairments
D001938	Brazil	A country located on the eastern coast of South America, located between Colombia and Peru, that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, on the south by Uruguay, and on the west by Argentina. The capital is Brasilia.
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003241	Consanguinity	The magnitude of INBREEDING in humans.	Inbreeding, Human,Consanguineous Marriage,Consanguinous Mating,Consanguineous Marriages,Consanguinities,Consanguinous Matings,Human Inbreeding,Human Inbreedings,Inbreedings, Human,Marriage, Consanguineous,Marriages, Consanguineous,Mating, Consanguinous,Matings, Consanguinous
D003906	Developing Countries	Countries in the process of change with economic growth, that is, an increase in production, per capita consumption, and income. The process of economic growth involves better utilization of natural and human resources, which results in a change in the social, political, and economic structures.	LMICs,Less-Developed Countries,Low Income Countries,Low and Middle Income Countries,Lower-Middle-Income Country,Middle Income Countries,Third-World Countries,Under-Developed Countries,Developing Nations,Least Developed Countries,Less-Developed Nations,Third-World Nations,Under-Developed Nations,Countries, Middle Income,Countries, Third-World,Country, Least Developed,Country, Less-Developed,Country, Low Income,Country, Lower-Middle-Income,Country, Middle Income,Country, Third-World,Country, Under-Developed,Developed Country, Least,Developing Country,Developing Nation,Least Developed Country,Less Developed Countries,Less Developed Nations,Less-Developed Country,Less-Developed Nation,Low Income Country,Lower Middle Income Country,Lower-Middle-Income Countries,Middle Income Country,Nation, Less-Developed,Nation, Third-World,Nation, Under-Developed,Third World Countries,Third World Nations,Third-World Country,Third-World Nation,Under Developed Countries,Under Developed Nations,Under-Developed Country,Under-Developed Nation