Behaviour problems in retarded children with special reference to Down's syndrome

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Disabilities
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Intellectual disability impacts child development and behavior.
• Down's Syndrome (DS) is a common genetic cause of intellectual disability.
• Understanding behavioral patterns in children with intellectual disabilities is crucial for support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the behavioral profiles of children with Down's Syndrome (DS) and those with other intellectual disabilities.
• To assess the prevalence of behavioral disorders in these groups compared to their siblings.

Main Methods:

• Interviews with parents and teachers.
• Behavioral rating scales (Rutter checklist).
• Comparison between 193 children with DS and 154 children with similar handicaps.

Main Results:

• Similar proportions of behavioral issues in DS and control groups.
• Deviant behavior was significantly more common in both groups of children with intellectual disabilities than in their siblings.
• 38% of DS children and 49% of controls exhibited significant behavior disorder; conduct disorders were most frequent in DS.

Conclusions:

• Children with DS and other intellectual disabilities share similar behavioral challenges.
• Intellectual disability is associated with a higher risk of behavioral disorders compared to typically developing siblings.
• Targeted interventions for conduct and behavioral issues are important for children with intellectual disabilities.