Intellectual Disability

            I am sure we all know someone that still uses the term mental retardation, when describing someone with a disability. When I hear someone use this term, I find myself wondering if that individual is un-education or simply stuck in his or her own ways. I’m sure if you are unfamiliar with an individual’s educational background, you may  think they are being rude and disrespectful. I recently heard a former educator, who has her masters in Special Education, use the term mental retardation. This bothered me and I was not sure what to do. Should I correct her and let her know that the term is no longer used? Should I let it go and not embarrass her and just assume that was the terminology used when she was in school? I did just that, I let it go and carried on with the conversation. This article goes on to discuss the transition from the term mental retardation to intellectual disability.

            “The term intellectual disability is increasingly being used instead of mental retardation. Over the last 200 years, terms have included idiocy, feeblemindedness, mental deficiency, mental disability, mental handicap, and mental subnormality” (Schalock, Luckasson & Shogren, 2007).  As you can see, the use in terminology has changed significantly over time.  It is understood the term mental retardation and intellectual disability “both cover the same population of individuals who were diagnosed previously with mental retardation in number, kind, level, type, and duration of the disability and the need of people with this disability for individualized services and supports” (Schalock, Luckasson & Shogren, 2007). 

This article discussed five elements that need to be deliberated when selecting a term. (Schalock, Luckasson & Shogren, 2007). 

1.     The term should be specific, refer to a single entity, permit differentiation from other entities, and enhance communication.

2.     It must be used consistently by different stakeholder groups.

3.     The term must adequately represent current knowledge as scientific advances occur.

4.     It should be robust enough in its operationalization to permit its use for multiple purposes, including defining, diagnosing, classifying, and planning supports.

5.     It should reflect an essential component of naming a group of people, which is to communicate important values.

The process of choosing the correct terminology has generated a great deal of discussion. Mental retardation simply does not show respect for the individual, rather the term is demining and belittling to a person with disabilities. “We anticipate that discussions will continue in an attempt to further refine the construct of intellectual disability, improve the reliability of diagnosis, and better understand these aspects of human functioning: the nature of intelligence, adaptive behavior, and disablement” (Schalock, Luckasson & Shogren, 2007).  After reading this article, I will begin to correct those that use mental retardation when discussing individuals with disabilities. My hope is not to embarrass, but to educate the individual with the current terminology. Who is to say the terminology won’t change again, only time will tell?

Schalock, R. L., Luckasson, R. A., & Shogren, K. A. (2007). The renaming of "mental retardation": Understanding the change to the term "intellectual disability". Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 45(2), 116-124.