Level Of Intellectual Functioning Research Articles

Assessment of Intelligence of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Children and Adolescents and Parental Stress in a Muscular Dystrophy Center in Nepal

Correction: On 21st May 2017 the word 'Adults' was changed to 'Adolescents' in the title of the article on NepJOL. The PDF was correct and has not been changed.Introduction: Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked developmental disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness, demanding many psychosocial adjustments for both parents and children; learning and behavioral problems, changing values, expectations, roles and responsibilities, separation and loss that lead to parental stress. This study is an attempt to explore the level of Intelligence Quotient of children and adolescents with DMD and further elucidate aspects of parental stress.Material and Methods: The study involved 30 children and adolescents with DMD, chosen by convenient sampling method and one parent each, during their regular medical evaluation at the Duchene Muscular Dystrophy Foundation in Nepal. Measures used to collect data were the Draw a Man Test and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale.Results: Age of the DMD children and adolescents ranged between 4 to 19 years with mean age 12.01 ± 6.26 years, 93.94% were male. 53.33% of the parents reported having average level of stress and 63.33% of DMD children and adolescents had average level of Intelligence Quotient (IQ > 70), 16.67% had mild (IQ between 50-69) and 10% each were found to have moderate and severe intellectual disability. Significant negative correlation (r = -0.393, p=0.05) was found between the level of intellectual functioning of DMD children and level of parent’s perceived stress.Conclusion: Most of the parents experienced average to severe level of stress based on the duration of illness and the level of intellectual functioning of their DMD child. Parents experienced greater level of stress with children having low intelligence. J Nepal Paediatr Soc 2016;36(3):227-231

Kbg syndrome and the establishment of its neuropsychological phenotype

ObjectiveKBG syndrome is caused by a mutation in the ANKRD11 gene, characterized by short stature and specific dental, craniofacial and skeletal anomalies. Scarce literature on the phenotypical presentation mention delayed speech and motor development as well as mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. As to psychopathology, often, autism and ADHD are mentioned but not yet substantiated in terms of neurocognitive variables.AimAim of the current study was to investigate neurocognitive aspects of KBG syndrome.Participants and Methods Seventeen patients (aged 6–66 years; ten females) with a proven ANKRD11 mutation were compared with two different groups of patients with a genetic disorder and similar developmental ages (n = 14 and n = 10). Neuropsychological assessment was performed focusing on the level of intellectual functioning and on attention, memory, executive functioning, and social cognition.ResultsIn KBG patients, mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (WAIS IV Total IQ = 63.5 ± 10.7, range: 45–84) were established with a mental age that was lower than mean chronological age (6.4 ± 2.6 years versus 11 ± 5.7 years, respectively). When compared to both control groups, results indicated a relatively strong processing speed and social cognitive functioning of patients with KBG while direct recall of auditory memory was relatively poor most probably due to attentional dysfunction.ConclusionsThe cognitive profile of this group of 17 patients with KBG is characterized by mild intellectual disability and diminished sustained attention in verbal tasks. Implications for diagnostic procedures and clinical management of the syndrome are discussed, also with regard to the question how this relates to classificatory diagnosis of ADHD.

Use of a Smartphone for Leisure and Communication by People with Blindness and Motor Disabilities

Persons who are blind and have additional disabilities (that is, intellectual or motor disabilities or both) may fail to independently manage leisure engagement and communication with distant partners (partners who are not present in their immediate environment) (Lancioni et al., 2011, 2016; Sutherland et al., 2014; Taylor & Hodapp, 2012). Indeed, their disabilities may severely curtail or prevent the use of computer and telephone devices, which are instrumental in accessing leisure activities or to establish communication (to exchange text messages or telephone calls) with distant family members and friends (Hreha & Snowdon, 2011; Lancioni et al., 2012, 2014). A growing awareness of the negative personal and social implications of this problem has shown the need for assistive technology solutions to improve the situation (Meder & Wegner, 2015; O'Rourke et al., 2014; Stasolla et al., 2015). Recently, a computer-aided program was developed for helping these persons access leisure options such as songs, or to make telephone calls or exchange text messages independently (Lancioni et al., 2013, 2014, 2016). The program's first function was to present the options available (for instance, music or telephone). When an option was selected (by activating a simple microswitch at the presentation of that option), the computer listed several choice alternatives (such as several songs or partners for a call). When a song or a partner was selected, the computer played that song or placed a call to that partner. The present study was aimed at extending the limited research in this area (Kazdin, 2011); specifically, at the possibility of teaching three participants with blindness and motor disabilities to manage independent leisure engagement and communication with distant partners via a smartphone (that is, via a cheaper and more accessible technology solution than the aforementioned computer-aided program; Azenkot & Lee, 2013; Lancioni et al., 2014; Macias et al., 2015). To this end, the smartphone was fitted with leisure activity files that could be opened or activated and with lists of partners (and respective telephone numbers) that could be reached, and the participants were taught to interact with the smartphone (opening those files or reaching the partners) through specific verbal inputs. Methods Participants The participants (Michael, Judy, and Anne) were 48, 47, and 42 years old, respectively, and had a diagnosis of blindness and motor disabilities subsequent to congenital encephalopathy and premature birth or hydrocephalus. Michael had hemiparesis, which restricted his ability to manipulate objects and required him to have some support for walking. Judy and Anne had spastic tetraparesis, were nonambulatory, and had serious restrictions in the use of their hands to reach and manipulate objects. Psychological records described Judy's level of intellectual functioning as typical, while Michael and Anne's levels were considered to be in the borderline or mild disability area. Their Vineland age equivalences (Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005) ranged from 9 years and 2 months to 11 years and 4 months for communication (with all three producing clear verbal utterances), and from 2 years and 11 months to 5 years and 0 months for daily living skills. The participants attended an activity center for persons with multiple disabilities and were eager to use a technology solution to manage leisure occupation and to communicate with distant partners independently. Their previous technology exposure was limited to a computer with a braille keyboard for writing, which only Judy was occasionally using. None of them had any experience with smartphones. They agreed to be involved in this study, which had been approved by an ethics committee and which required their legal representatives to sign a consent form for their participation. Setting, sessions, and data recording A quiet area of the center that the participants attended served as the setting for the study. …

Creative attitude in a group of youths gifted in the domain of science subjects

<b>Background</b><br /> We attempted to assess whether students identified by their teachers as gifted in the domain of science are characterised by significantly higher levels of intelligence and creativity than other students. We investigated the features of their personalities that are indicators of their exhibited creative or reproductive attitude in the cognitive and the motivational domains. As a consequence, criteria will be developed for identifying gifted students.<br /> <br /> <b>Participants and procedure</b><br /> Ninety-seven students, aged 13-17, took part in the study. The students were previously identified by their teachers as gifted. Levels of intellectual functioning were assessed using a battery of tests for diagnosing intelligence (APIS-P) and Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). Creativity was estimated using the Test for Creative Thinking – Drawing Production (TCT-DP), and creative attitude was assessed using the KANH questionnaire.<br /> <br /> <b>Results</b><br /> Analysis of the results revealed that students nominated by their teachers scored significantly higher than their peers in general intelligence and creativity tests. Moreover, they were characterised by a more frequent choice of heuristic behaviours in the cognitive domain and nonconformity in the motivational domain. Additionally, there was a statistical trend a general creative attitude among the nominated students.<br /> <br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> We found that gifted students scored high on general intelligence and creativity tests. Consistency between the teachers’ nominations and our results indicates that the criteria for identifying gifted students are appropriate. Moreover, instructing teachers about a creative attitude helped them to also identify gifted students with higher levels of nonconformity and who create their own heuristics for behaviour. These characteristics are valuable for innovative activity, which is what programmes for gifted students try to encourage.

Pragmatic skills of children and youth with mild intellectual disability

Pragmatic competence means the use of language in social context. Persons with intellectual disability experience numerous problems in this aspect of communication, but they are relatively pragmatically skilled in well-known situations, in which they are not subjected to significant cognitive and social requirements. The aim of this paper is to determine the level of pragmatic abilities of children and youth with mild intellectual disability and to perceive its relation to chronological age, speech comprehension, speech production, the level of intellectual functioning, gender and bilingualism of the participants. The level of pragmatic competence was tested in the sample of 120 children with mild intellectual disability, aged between 8 and 16, by using the Test of pragmatic language competence. The Clinical scales of Luria-Nebraska neuropsychological battery for children were also used. The results obtained in this research suggest that general level of achievement of children with mild intellectual disability in this domain of development is far below the expectations based on their chronological age. Significant progress appears between 12 and 14 years of age, but there are also two critical periods in their development. Important relations of pragmatic skills with speech comprehension, speech production, chronological age and intellectual level were established.

Quantitative sensory testing of temperature, pain, and touch in adults with Down syndrome

The spinothalamic pathway mediates sensations of temperature, pain, and touch. These functions seem impaired in children with Down syndrome (DS), but have not been extensively examined in adults. The objective of the present study was to compare the spinothalamic-mediated sensory functions between adults with DS and adults from the general population and to examine in the DS group the relationship between the sensory functions and level of intellectual functioning. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) was performed in 188 adults with DS (mean age 37.5 years) and 142 age-matched control participants (median age 40.5 years). Temperature, pain, and touch were evaluated with tests for cold–warm discrimination, sharp–dull discrimination (pinprick), and tactile threshold, respectively. Level of intellectual functioning was estimated with the Social Functioning Scale for Intellectual Disability (intellectual disability level) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Revised (intelligence level). Overall, the difference in spinothalamic-mediated sensory functions between the DS and control groups was not statistically significant. However, DS participants with a lower intelligence level had a statistically significant lower performance on the sharp–dull discrimination test than DS participants with higher intelligence level (adjusted p=.006) and control participants (adjusted p=.017). It was concluded that intellectual functioning level is an important factor to take into account for the assessment of spinothalamic-mediated sensory functioning in adults with DS: a lower level could coincide with impaired sensory functioning, but could also hamper QST assessment.

Pretreatment for substance-abusing people with intellectual disabilities: intervening on autonomous motivation for treatment entry.

Despite a lack of consensus regarding prevalence rates of substance abuse, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) on average use substances slightly less often than their non-disabled peers. However, their use of substances is more often problematic. Avoidance of treatment is a crucial problem among substance-abusing people with ID. This study tested a motivational intervention to facilitate autonomous motivation (i.e. wanting to change substance abuse because of a sense of free choice and volition) for engaging with a subsequent addiction treatment. A multiple-case experimental design (N = 6) was conducted to measure day-to-day motivation to change substance abuse among individuals with mild ID (N = 3) and borderline level of intellectual functioning (N = 3) in the Netherlands. The participants (five men, one woman) lived in the community (except one, he lived in a residential facility) and abused cannabis, alcohol or hashish. During the intervention phase, the 10-session treatment programme 'Beat the kick' was delivered by an experienced psychologist, based on motivational interviewing techniques adapted for people with mild to borderline ID. Participants completed an adaptive self-reported inventory based on self-determination theory (SDT) two to three times a week during baseline, intervention and 1-month follow-up. The results of five of the six participants (one dropped out) showed that the type of motivation changed from more controlled types of motivation (i.e. external motivation and introjected motivation) at baseline to more autonomous types of motivation after completion of the intervention. In addition, the participants reported a significant increase in overall need satisfaction and autonomy satisfaction and a significant decrease of overall need frustration. The implementation of SDT and motivational interviewing principles in the treatment programme 'Beat the kick' reliably changed the type of motivation. In addition, the experimental effects provide initial proof of the use and applicability of SDT among people with ID.

Development of the brain's structural network efficiency in early adolescence: A longitudinal DTI twin study.

The brain is a network and our intelligence depends in part on the efficiency of this network. The network of adolescents differs from that of adults suggesting developmental changes. However, whether the network changes over time at the individual level and, if so, how this relates to intelligence, is unresolved in adolescence. In addition, the influence of genetic factors in the developing network is not known. Therefore, in a longitudinal study of 162 healthy adolescent twins and their siblings (mean age at baseline 9.9 [range 9.0-15.0] years), we mapped local and global structural network efficiency of cerebral fiber pathways (weighted with mean FA and streamline count) and assessed intelligence over a three-year interval. We find that the efficiency of the brain's structural network is highly heritable (locally up to 74%). FA-based local and global efficiency increases during early adolescence. Streamline count based local efficiency both increases and decreases, and global efficiency reorganizes to a net decrease. Local FA-based efficiency was correlated to IQ. Moreover, increases in FA-based network efficiency (global and local) and decreases in streamline count based local efficiency are related to increases in intellectual functioning. Individual changes in intelligence and local FA-based efficiency appear to go hand in hand in frontal and temporal areas. More widespread local decreases in streamline count based efficiency (frontal cingulate and occipital) are correlated with increases in intelligence. We conclude that the teenage brain is a network in progress in which individual differences in maturation relate to level of intellectual functioning.

Emotional Profile and Intellectual Functioning

Insufficient literature has been produced addressing children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) and gifted intellectual functioning (GIF). The goal of this work is to compare levels of self-esteem, depression, anxiety at school, and insecurity among children with BIF and GIF, and a control group of average intellectual functioning (AIF). There were participants of 104 children (fourth grade of primary school). Analyses revealed that children with BIF showed a lower level of self-esteem and higher levels of depression and school anxiety. Moreover, our findings highlight the co-occurrence of school anxiety, depressed mood, and insecurity among the BIF and AIF groups. One of the issues that emerge from this study is the need to implement prevention programs aimed at identifying children with lower or higher levels of intellectual functioning. These findings highlight the importance of establishing what the most appropriate educational and clinical interventions are in reducing the risks of mental disorders in this population.

The Behaviour Problems Inventory-Short Form: Reliability and Factorial Validity in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.

The Behaviour Problems Inventory-Short Form (BPI-S) is a spin-off of the BPI-01 that was empirically developed from a large BPI-01 data set. In this study, the reliability and factorial validity of the BPI-S was investigated for the first time on newly collected data from adults with intellectual disabilities. The sample consisted of 232 adults with intellectual disabilities who represented all levels of intellectual functioning. They were recruited at several day programs in the USA (n = 148) and the UK (n = 84). We found acceptable reliability in terms of internal consistency, inter-rater agreement and test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the three BPI-S subscale structure. We corroborated the factor structure underly-ing the three subscales and found the BPI-S to have adequate to good psychometric properties in a newly collected sample of adults with intellectual disabilities.

The relationship between the level of adoption of social skills and academic success of students with mild and moderate intellectual disability

The achieved level of social competence is a significant predictor of academic success in students with intellectual disability (ID). The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between adopted social skills, gender, level of intellectual functioning and academic success, expressed as average grade at the end of a school year for the sample of students with mild and moderate ID. The sample consisted of 135 participants with ID, aged 7.5 to 21. The level of adoption of social skills was assessed using the subscale Social Skills from the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System II (Harrison & Oakland, 2003). The data on the average grade at the end of the school year, age, gender and level of ID of the participants was obtained from the school documentation. Academic success of students with ID was significantly influenced by the level of their adopted social skills. The gender of the participants and the level of their intellectual functioning did not show significant influence on their academic success.

A Review of the Verbal Memory Profile of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Behavioral studies concerning the memory of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have yielded inconsistent results over the past few decades. Some have found impairment where as others have reported an intact memory profile in ASD. Therefore, in the present review, we will examine the verbal memory profile of ASD. A systematic search has located 18 articles for review and analysis. It is suggested that ASDs mainly have an intact verbal recognition performance but impaired verbal recall ability. The conflicting memory performance found in ASD may probably be due to confounding factors, including differences in the experimental designs of research studies, the intellectual functioning levels of ASD and their developmental trajectories. In general, the memory processing of ASD is implicated by the frontal lobe function, and the memory problem is primarily caused by the poor utilization of organizational strategies during information encoding. A failure to encode the information properly will directly hinder their later retrieval performance. Finally, priorities for future research in the memory functions of ASD are suggested, and the need for more rigorous research paradigms is highlighted. With a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanism of the memory functions of those with ASD, it is believed that better intervention programs can be developed to aid their memory deficits and to improve their daily-life performances.

AT-52 * PROSPECTIVE EARLY RESULTS OF LOW GRADE GLIOMA PATIENTS TREATED WITH PROTON THERAPY

BACKGROUND: This is a prospective study to evaluate potential treatment toxicity and progression free survival (PFS) of low grade glioma patients treated with proton radiation therapy. METHODS: Twenty WHO grade II glioma patients indicated for radiation therapy (8 new high risk diagnoses; 12 recurrent/progressive disease) were enrolled on a prospective single arm trial of proton therapy receiving 54 Gy(RBE) in 30 fractions. Comprehensive baseline and regular post treatment evaluations of neurocognitive function, neuroendocrine function, and quality of life (QOL) were performed. RESULTS: All 20 patients (median age 37.5 years) tolerated treatment without difficulty. Median follow up after proton therapy was 5.1 years. Baseline level of intellectual functioning on a standardized IQ measure was within the normal range for the group and remained stable over time. Performances in the cognitive domains of visuospatial ability, language function, attention/working memory, and processing speed were also in the normal range at baseline and did not decline over time. New endocrine dysfunction was detected in six patients and all but one had direct irradiation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. QOL assessment showed no change over time with the extended follow up. PFS at 3 years was 85% and at 5 years was 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Low grade glioma patients tolerate proton therapy well and a subset develops neuroendocrine deficiencies. There was no evidence for decline in cognitive function or QOL which may be partially attributable to reduced radiation dose to the normal brain by use of proton therapy. PFS was similar to that of photon based therapy.

RETRACTED: The effect of intellectual disability on the presence of comorbid symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

• Researchers have found level of intellectual functioning to effect rate of comorbid symptoms. • Presence of comorbid symptoms were examined in children with ASD and children with ASD and ID. • No significant differences in presence of comorbid symptoms were found between the groups. • Despite these findings, level of intellectual functioning should be taken into account when designing treatment programs. Research is limited in examining the presence of comorbid symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring intellectual disability (ID). The current study aimed to expand knowledge in this area by evaluating the presence of comorbid symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD, compared to those with ASD and ID. Comorbid symptoms examined using the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children ( ASD-C-C ) included tantrum behavior, repetitive behavior, worry/depression, avoidant behavior, under-eating, conduct problems, and over-eating. Two hundred and nineteen children and adolescents ranging from 3 to 16 years of age participated in the study. Significant differences were not found between the groups on any of the comorbid symptoms measured. The implications of these findings on treatment are discussed.

Factors Associated with Caregiver Burden Among Parents of Individuals with ASD: Differences Across Intellectual Functioning

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) persist into adolescence and adulthood, when access to health services and supports become difficult. Consequently, most adolescents and adults with ASD remain reliant on their families for support, often resulting in caregiver burden among parents. This study aims to investigate factors associated with burden in parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD, and to understand how these factors differ across varying levels of intellectual functioning. Of the 297 parents sampled, ASD severity, externalizing behaviors, medical comorbidity, and parent age predicted burden in parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD and an intellectual disability (ID), whereas an inability to pay for services predicted burden in parents of individuals with ASD and no ID. Factors associated with caregiver burden differed among individuals with and without ID and were not limited to symptom severity or mental health problems, but also extended to system factors.

Intellectual, behavioral, and emotional functioning in children with syndromic craniosynostosis.

To examine intellectual, behavioral, and emotional functioning of children who have syndromic craniosynostosis and to explore differences between diagnostic subgroups. A national sample of children who have syndromic craniosynostosis participated in this study. Intellectual, behavioral, and emotional outcomes were assessed by using standardized measures: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/6-18, Disruptive Behavior Disorder rating scale (DBD), and the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. We included 82 children (39 boys) aged 6 to 13 years who have syndromic craniosynostosis. Mean Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) was in the normal range (M = 96.6; SD = 21.6). However, children who have syndromic craniosynostosis had a 1.9 times higher risk for developing intellectual disability (FSIQ < 85) compared with the normative population (P < .001) and had more behavioral and emotional problems compared with the normative population, including higher scores on the CBCL/6-18, DBD Total Problems (P < .001), Internalizing (P < .01), social problems (P < .001), attention problems (P < .001), and the DBD Inattention (P < .001). Children who have Apert syndrome had lower FSIQs (M = 76.7; SD = 13.3) and children who have Muenke syndrome had more social problems (P < .01), attention problems (P < .05), and inattention problems (P < .01) than normative population and with other diagnostic subgroups. Although children who have syndromic craniosynostosis have FSIQs similar to the normative population, they are at increased risk for developing intellectual disability, internalizing, social, and attention problems. Higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems were related to lower levels of intellectual functioning.

Profile of rape victims referred by the court to the Free State Psychiatric Complex, 2003 - 2009

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; The psychological evaluation of rape victims to determine their competency to testify in court and whether they are capable of consenting to sexual intercourse is challenging, especially when the rape victim is mentally retarded.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective.&lt;/strong&gt; To describe the profile of mentally retarded rape victims referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex (FSPC) in Bloemfontein from 2003 to 2009.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods.&lt;/strong&gt; A descriptive retrospective study was conducted. The study consisted of 137 rape victims referred by the court to the FSPC for psychological evaluation from 2003 to 2009. Patient files were used to obtain information.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results.&lt;/strong&gt; The majority of individuals (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt;=129; 94.2%) in the cohort were female. The mean age of the participants was 19 years (range 3 - 52). The number of victims evaluated increased from four in 2003 to 36 in 2009. Most participants were diagnosed with moderate (67.2%), followed by severe (18.3%) and mild (14.6%) mental retardation. Only two of the victims were able to give legal consent to sexual intercourse. Only one participant was able to testify in a court of law. A noteworthy finding was that in only 25 (18.2%) cases, a clinical psychologist was subpoenaed to testify in court.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion.&lt;/strong&gt; The vast majority of mentally retarded rape victims in our cohort, regardless of their level of intellectual functioning, were not able to testify in court and were not able to give informed consent to sexual intercourse.&lt;/p&gt;

Profile of rape victims referred by the court to the Free State Psychiatric Complex, 2003 to 2009

Background. The psychological evaluation of rape victims to determine their competency to testify in court and whether they are capable of consenting to sexual intercourse is challenging, especially when the rape victim is mentally retarded. Objective. To describe the profile of mentally retarded rape victims referred to the Free State Psychiatric Complex (FSPC) in Bloemfontein from 2003 to 2009. Methods. A descriptive retrospective study was conducted. The study consisted of 137 rape victims referred by the court to the FSPC for psychological evaluation from 2003 to 2009. Patient files were used to obtain information. Results. The majority of individuals ( n =129; 94.2%) in the cohort were female. The mean age of the participants was 19 years (range 3 - 52). The number of victims evaluated increased from four in 2003 to 36 in 2009. Most participants were diagnosed with moderate (67.2%), followed by severe (18.3%) and mild (14.6%) mental retardation. Only two of the victims were able to give legal consent to sexual intercourse. Only one participant was able to testify in a court of law. A noteworthy finding was that in only 25 (18.2%) cases, a clinical psychologist was subpoenaed to testify in court. Conclusion. The vast majority of mentally retarded rape victims in our cohort, regardless of their level of intellectual functioning, were not able to testify in court and were not able to give informed consent to sexual intercourse.

An examination of the relationship between autism spectrum disorder, intellectual functioning, and comorbid symptoms in children.

There is a deficiency of research looking at how rates of comorbid psychopathology are effected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual functioning level. The present study aimed to extend the literature in this area by evaluating how ASD and IQ scores are related to ratings on a measure of comorbid symptoms. Twenty-three children with ASD and 87 children without ASD participated in this study. Rates of tantrum behavior, avoidant behavior, worry/depressed, repetitive behavior, under-eating, over-eating, and conduct behavior were examined utilizing the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC). Correlational and multiple regression analyses were then conducted. ASD diagnosis significantly predicted rates of tantrum behavior, avoidant behavior, and repetitive behavior. Children with ASD tended to have higher rates of all three of these comorbid symptoms than children without ASD. Although not statistically significant, there was a negative correlation between IQ and rates of comorbid symptoms, such that children with higher IQ scores tended to have lower rates of comorbid symptoms. The implications of these findings on assessment and intervention are discussed.

Generic skills in students with mild intellectual disability

Generic skills include transferable skills which contribute to general work skills of an individual and can be used in different jobs and work organizations. Situational assessment is considered to be the best approach in gathering information on generic skills and adaptive behavior in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID), since it enables systematic observation of work related behavior. The aim of this paper is to determine the relation of the degree of generic skills acquisition with regard to the level of intellectual functioning of students with mild intellectual disability (MID). The sample consists of 120 examinees undergoing professional training, of both genders, with IQ between 51 and 70. The sample is divided in two groups: the group with higher level of intellectual functioning (IQ 61-70) which includes 75 examinees (62.5%), and the group lower level of intellectual functioning (IQ 51-60) which includes 45 (37.5%) examinees. The results of the adapted Situational assessment form test (Cline et al., 2005) indicate the statistically significant difference between the examinees with different levels of intellectual functioning. The examinees with higher level of intellectual functioning show greater interest in work, they perform the assigned tasks for a longer period of time, they adapt to changes while working more easily, and use the acquired work skills appropriately. They are more independent and mobile during training, they initiate a greater number of social interactions, behave more appropriately in work environment, and manage to control fatigue and stress while working. Information on generic skills can be used for developing individual plan of employment of persons with MID and/or for determining the model of employment, adaptation of work place and temporary placement.