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Developmental concept of idiocy.

Murray Simpson1

  • 1School of Education, Social Work and Community Education, The University of Dundee, UK. m.k.simpson@dundee.ac.uk

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
|April 13, 2007
PubMed
Summary
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Dominant definitions of intellectual disability historically excluded adult-onset conditions. This historical analysis questions current diagnostic criteria, suggesting a need to reconsider broader conceptualizations of intellectual disability.

Area of Science:

  • History of Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Current diagnostic criteria for intellectual disability predominantly focus on conditions manifesting during the developmental period.
  • Historical conceptualizations in the 19th century included broader definitions, not exclusively limiting diagnoses to developmental onset.

Observation:

  • The exclusion of adult brain injury or dementia from intellectual disability diagnoses emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • The rise of institutions, scientific study, and intelligence testing influenced the narrowing of diagnostic scope.

Findings:

  • Contemporary definitions of intellectual disability may be unduly influenced by non-essential historical and methodological factors.
  • The historical exclusion of adult-onset conditions represents a contingent, rather than essential, aspect of current diagnostic frameworks.

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Implications:

  • Re-evaluating the historical contingency of current definitions is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of intellectual disability.
  • Maintaining theoretical openness is recommended to challenge dominant diagnostic paradigms and explore alternative conceptualizations.