Representation of international authorship across prominent journals in the field of mental retardation.

The team counted who wrote every paper in six top intellectual-disability journals for one year. They sorted authors by country and compared US-based journals with journals based elsewhere.

The goal was to see if research voices match the global community that lives with IDD.

US scientists wrote 84–a large share of articles in US journals. In non-US journals they still wrote about a large share.

In short, American voices filled most pages no matter where the journal was printed.

Friedman (2016) shows the same power imbalance in language. After Rosa’s Law ordered “intellectual disability,” most Medicaid waivers kept the old label. Both studies reveal slow change inside US-heavy systems.

Hall et al. (2007) tracks how professional groups finally dropped the term “mental retardation.” Their timeline helps explain why McIntyre et al. (2002) still saw that word on journal covers while authorship stayed US-centric.

Together the papers paint one picture: decisions—words, authors, policies—stay in a small circle long after the world asks for broader voices.

If you write, teach, or sit on an editorial board, check the author list. Invite colleagues from other continents to join studies or co-write articles. Diverse authors bring new cultural tips, better translations, and fresher behavior-change ideas your clients will feel.