Mental Retardation
Identify two differences between the 1983 and 1992 AAMR definitions of Developmentally Delayed, formally known as, “Mental Retardation”. What did the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation mean when they used the term “six-hour retarded child” in their 1970 report? What does this suggest for educators today?
Sample Solution
Mental Retardation
Mental retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioning. As formal definitions of mental retardation were developed during the first half of the 20th century, they tended to reflect the judgment of chronicity. There are differences between the 1983 and 1992 American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) definitions of mental retardation. A 1983 AAMR definition expanded the developmental period from conception (instead of birth) to age 18 (Grossman, 1983). This change officially made persons with mental retardation resulting from prenatal factors eligible to be classified. The AAMR published the most recent revision of its manual on the definition and classification of mental retardation in 1992. The definition itself includes dramatic changes. It reads as follows: mental retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioning. This conception of mental retardation is presented by AAMR as a paradigm shift. Retardation is no longer to be viewed as being characteristic of an individual. It is the product of interactions between a person, and the nature and demands of that person`s environment.
