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Long-term affective disorder in people with mild learning disability
M Richards1, B Maughan, R Hardy
1National Survey of Health and Development, University College London, UK. m.richards@ucl.ac.uk
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|December 4, 2001
Summary
Individuals with mild learning disability face a fourfold higher risk of affective disorder. This increased risk persists into midlife and is not explained by social disadvantage or medical conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Previous studies suggest a link between learning disability and affective disorders.
- The role of socioeconomic factors and measurement limitations in this association requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the risk of affective disorder in individuals with mild learning disability within the British 1946 birth cohort.
- To determine if childhood and adulthood disadvantages mediate this risk.
Main Methods:
- Mild learning disability defined as IQ ≤ 69 at age 15.
- Psychiatric outcomes assessed using the Present State Examination (age 36) and Psychiatric Symptom Frequency Scale (age 43).
Main Results:
- A fourfold increased risk of affective disorder was observed in individuals with learning disability.
- This association remained significant and was not explained by social/material disadvantage or co-occurring medical disorders.
Conclusions:
- Mild learning disability is a strong predictor of affective disorder.
- The heightened risk of affective disorder associated with learning disability persists into midlife.