[Self determination as an axis to evaluate and intervene with intellectually disabled people]

The article describes in an original way the concept of self-determination, including an analysis of its components and effects. The authors detail two groups of disorders of self-determination: subjective dissipation and subjective alienation. They sustain that this theoretical framework explains more fully the clinics of Intellectual Disability (DSM's Mental Retardation) and is more useful than IQ to orient teaching, therapeutic and rehabilitative interventions. The authors propose that the level and profile of self-determination of a person with intellectual disability should be utilized to sub-classify people with mental retardation diagnose, replacing the ranges of IQ traditionally used, and criticized as well, for useless.