Intelligence Tests

Intellectual functioning basically refers to intelligence as measured by an individually administered intelligence test. The most commonly used tests are the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Wechsler, 1974) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Thorndike, Hagen, & Sattler, 1986); the Stanford-Binet produces a composite score (CS) that is interpreted like an IQ. An IQ of 100 means that student's standing is at the very middle of the group, half of the group having higher scores and half having lower ones.

The American Association on Mental Retardation further divides the IQ/CS range into four levels: mild, moderate, severe, and profound. The standard deviations and range of IQ/CS for successive levels of mental retardation are as follows: mild (SD = -2.01 to -3.00; IQ = 69-55; CS = 67-52), moderate (SD « -3.01 to -4.00, IQ = 54-40; CS = 51-36), severe (SD = -4.01 to -5.00, IQ = 39-25; CS = 35-20), and profound (SD = below -5.00, IQ = below 25; CS = below 20).

Negative Labeling

You have probably noticed that I use the term persons with mental retardation. Since 1960, professionals have become more sensitive in how they refer to persons with mental retardation. This change is part of the whole movement to reduce the negative impact of being labeled with mental retardation.

Until the 1950s, the professional literature used harsh terms such as "moron," "imbecile," and "idiot." The authors of the major intelligence tests, Wechsler (1949) and Terman and Merrill (1960), referred to persons with IQs below 70 as mental defectives. Research articles in the American Journal on Mental Deficiency used the term retardate. These terms became part of the layperson's speech. For example, a recent episode of "LA Law" showed attorney Arnie Becker referring to Bernie Stolwitz, a person with mental retardation, as a moron. Many professionals even find more neutral terms—the educable mentally retarded (EMR), the trainable mentally retarded (TMR), and the severely and profoundly mentally retarded (SPMR) (see MacMillan, 1982) — to be unacceptable because they imply an all-encompassing condition. The descriptor "mentally retarded" becomes the only way in which we think of the person. As a result, we come to assume that the person is incapable of doing much. The preferred terminology is the one used in this chapter — person with mental retardation. This term suggests that mental retardation is one of many qualities, albeit an important one. Professionals must remember to be careful in referring to children and adults with mental retardation. Some labels have evident negative meanings, whereas others are more subtle in communicating a negative meaning.

Vocabulary notes

mental retardation – умственная отсталость

cute – привлекательный; умный

maternity – материнство, материнский

exclaim – восклицать

arise – возникать

succeed – преуспевать

successive levels – ряд уровней (развития)

concurrent – сопутствующий, соответственный

adaptive behavior – приспособительное поведение,

адаптационное поведение

refer – ссылаться, передавать (на рассмотрение),

относиться, касаться

score – счет

defective – лицо с физическими или умственными

недостатками

profound – глубокий, серьезный, основательный, крайний

layperson (= layman) – непрофессионал, дилетант

impact – влияние, сильное воздействие

descriptor – дескриптор, описатель; признак

all-encompassing – всеобъемлющий, всеохватывающий

subtle – слабый, тонкий, неуловимый

albeit (= all though it be (that) – хотя (и)