Risk factors for psychiatric disturbance in children with intellectual disability.
Moderate ID plus any of five child or family red flags signals high psychiatric risk.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Koskentausta et al. (2007) looked at what makes psychiatric problems more likely in kids with intellectual disability.
They checked child skills, family type, and money stress. No control group was used.
What they found
Six red flags popped out. Moderate ID, low daily-living skills, slow language, weak social skills, single-parent homes, and low income all raised the risk.
How this fits with other research
Lecavalier et al. (2006) tracked the same group one year later and saw parent mental-health history also predicted new disorders. The papers agree: family factors matter.
Myrbakk et al. (2008) added that severe behavior problems often mask depression. If a client screams or self-injures, screen for mood disorder.
Amaral et al. (2019) updated the list. They found bullying, ADHD, and chronic pain also hike depression odds. The core message holds, but the risk list keeps growing.
Why it matters
Use the six flags as a quick intake checklist. When two or more show up, add a mental-health screener and loop in the family. Early catches mean faster supports and fewer crises later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with intellectual disability (ID) have a higher risk for psychiatric disturbance than their peers with normal intelligence, but research data on risk factors are insufficient and partially conflicting. METHOD: The subjects comprised 75 children with ID aged 6-13 years. Data were obtained from case files and the following four questionnaires completed by their parents or other carers: Developmental Behaviour Checklist, American Association of Mental Deficiency (AAMD) Adaptive Behavior Scale, a questionnaire on additional disabilities, and a questionnaire on family characteristics and child development. RESULTS: The risk of psychopathology was most significantly increased by moderate ID, limitations in adaptive behaviour, impaired language development, poor socialization, living with one biological parent, and low socio-economic status of the family. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of psychopathology in children with ID is increased by factors related to family characteristics and child development. Identifying these factors will help diagnose and possibly prevent psychiatric disorders in these children.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2007 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00871.x