ASSESSMENT OF MENTAL RETARDATION AND GIFTEDNESSBy: Jennifer Goshert and Courtney Boyle

Mental Retardation Giftedness

Mental Retardation Definition according to the American

Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities “Intellectual disability is a disability

characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18”. 

Characteristics of MR IQ of 70 or below A deficiency in 2 or more of the following adaptive skill

areas: Communication Self-care Home living Social skills Community use Self-direction Health and safety Functional academics Leisure Work

Characteristics of MR Levels:

Mild Moderate Severe Profound

Cognitive deficits tend to affect memory, attention, and language

Individuals with severe MR tend to have brain damage which can cause physical disorders such as cerebral palsy and seizure disorders like epilepsy

Activity Categorize in

intensity the following scenarios.

Syndromes associated with Mental Retardation

Down Syndrome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_-P4t2jR

1g Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fragile X Syndrome Mucopolysoccharidoses (MPS) Noonan Syndrome

Assessment of MR Comprehensive patient and family history

Maternal health status during pregnancy Baseline history of patient

Physical Examination Focusing on:

Dysmorphic features Minor abnormalities

Developmental screenings The Revised Denver Prescreening Development Questionnaire Denver Developmental Screening Test Kansas Infant Development Screen

Adaptive Behavior Tests IQ Tests

Adaptive Behavior Tests Scales of Independent Behavior (SIB-R)

Can be given to 3 months-80 years Multiple forms for children and visually

impaired Produces a service score

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Can be given up to 18 years Focuses on personal and social skills

Adaptive Behavior Tests AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale 2nd edition (AAMR

ABS) Two forms: school and residential/community settings Unidimensional scales

Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) In addition to measuring adaptive behaviors this test

also compiles a comprehensive set of information including demographic characteristics, diagnoses, support services needed and received, and social/leisure activities

Produces a service score Is similar to SIB-R but shorter

Stanford-Binet Given to individuals between 2 and 23

years of age Tests intelligence across four areas:

verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, abstract/visual reasoning, and short-term memory.

15 subtests- age depends number given and the level in which one starts

Takes around 45 to 90 minutes

Wechsler Intelligence Scales Three different scales used: Adult,

Children (WISC), Preschool WISC is given to children 6 to 16 years of

age Divided into 2 main sections- Verbal and

Nonverbal Takes around 60 to 90 minutes

IQ Test Scores for MR Mild

IQ: 70-55/50 Moderate

IQ: 55/50-40/35 Severe

IQ: 40/35-25/20 Profound

IQ: below 25/20

Activity Create something

that represents what giftedness means to you.

Giftedness Definition according to the National

Association of Gifted Children “Gifted individuals are those who

demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude or competence in one or more domains. Domains include any structured area of activity with its own symbol system and/or set of sensorimotor skills.”

Informal vs. Formal

Developmental Checklists (Compares children to peers)

Characteristics of Gifted Children Checklists

Example: http://www.austega.com/gifted/characteristics.htm

Assessed through IQ tests- tests only academic giftedness

IQ - Ratio between the mental age and the actual age

To calculate - Divide mental Age by actual age then multiply by 100

Also used to assess for cognitive delays - MR

Informal Formal

Scoring for Stanford-Binet & Wechsler Intelligence Scales

Both are norm referenced tests

100 average on both, 130 well-above

Scoring done in each individual section, then as a whole

Giftedness is Controversial What the true definition of giftedness? Are there levels of giftedness?  Does giftedness guarantee success? Which form of assessment for giftedness

is most reliable in predicting future success?

Is everyone gifted?

Torrance Test of Creative Thinking Tests CQ (Creative Quotient) 2 tests within TTCT-V (Verbal) & TTCT-F

(Figural) Verbal tests- 1st grade- adult, 40

minutes Figural tests- K- adult, 30 minutes

Torrance Test of Creative Thinking

6 word based activities Assesses mental

fluency, flexibility, and originality

Format- participants are asked questions, to improve products, and just suppose

Norm-referenced

3 activities at 10 minutes each

Includes picture construction, and completion

Tests mental fluency, originality, elaboration, abstractness of titles, resistance to premature closure (norm referenced)

13 criterion referenced areas assessed as well

TTCT-V (Verbal) TTCT- F (Figural)

Scoring and Administration of TTCT Training sessions at the Torrance Center

in Georgia Not best artist on Figural but one with

best ideas Higher scores on Figural- conveyed a

story, showed emotion, showed a different angle, showed sense of motion, displayed humor, and/or detail

Example of scoring- http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/07/10/creativity-test.html

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Everyone has strengths that IQ test may not measure Defined intelligence as “the capacity to solve problems or to

fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural settings” His theory of multiple intelligences lists nine different

intelligences: Logical-mathematical Linguistic Bodily-kinesthetic Musical Spatial Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist Existential

Explains giftedness in one particular area and not others

Sources American Association on Intellectual and Developmental

Disabilities. (n.d.). Definition of Intellectual Disability. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from AAIDD: http://www.aaidd.org/content_100.cfm?navID=21  

College of Education at the University of Georgia. The Torrance Center Training Opportunities. Retrieved March 21, 2011 from COE of the University of Georgia: http://www.coe.uga.edu/torrance/training-opportunities/

Council for Exceptional Children. (n.d.). Mental Retardation. Retrieved March 14, 2011, from CEC: http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Mental_Retardation&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=37&ContentID=5630

Daily, D. K., Ardinger, H. H., & Holmes, G. E. (2000, February 15). Identification and Evaluation of Mental Retardation. American Family Physician .

Hill, B. (2001, January 11). Adaptive Behavior. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Assessment Psychology Online: http://www.assessmentpsychology.com/adaptivebehavior.htm  

Sources Intelligence tests. (2007). In World of Health. Gale. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.butler.edu4024/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&prodId=SUIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCV2191500686&userGroupName=butleru&jsid=b815fdfeaf97abda5b425853e993333b. 

Mensa International. (2011). About Mensa International. Retrieved from http://www.mensa.org/about-us 

Mental Retardation. (2002). In Encyclopedia of the Human Brain. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/esthumanbrain/mental_retardation 

National Association for Gifted Children. (2008). Informal Assessment and Checklists. Retrieved from http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=958

National Association for Gifted Children. (2008). IQ Tests and Your Child. Retrieved from http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=960

Sources National Association for Gifted Children. (2008). What is

Giftedness?. Retrieved from http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=574

Newsweek. How Creative are You?. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/07/10/creativity-test.html

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. (2007). In Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of the Handicapped and Other Exceptional Children and Adults. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/wileyse/torrance_tests_of_creative_thinking 

Sadker, D. M., Sadker, M. P., & Zittleman, K. R. (2008). Multiple Intelligences. In Teachers, Schools, and Society (pp. 44-46). New York: McGraw-Hill.