Publishing about intellectual disability: An analysis of the contents of the Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and its predecessors

Abstract

The end of 1997 marked the publication of the 22nd volume of a scholarly professional journal by the Australian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability (ASSID) and its antecedent, the Australian Group for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency (AGSSOMD). In its 28 years of publication, the Journal has changed its name on several occasions and there have also been marked changes in the Journal's content. This paper analyses the Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, and its predecessors over the last 28 years, in terms of the nature and orientation of the contents, the type of publication, and the professional background and affiliation of the authors. The paper also examines the extent to which the Journal has reflected developments in research and changes in professional practice in intellectual disability, in Australia and overseas, over that period.