Autism and Mental Retardation Check Point
Roberto Castro
PSY-270
07/29/2011
Professor Andrew Graham LPC

Autism and Mental Retardation Check Point
Autism and Mental Retardation

Respond to the following: 1. List the primary features of autism.
The basic features in early childhood autism are social isolation, mental retardation, language problems and stereotyped ritualistic behaviors such as rocking back and forth, lining up toys over and over again. 2. Which explanation for autism is no longer considered valid and lacks research support?
Causes no longer considered by researchers are socio-cultural causes where claims of family dysfunction and social stress (environmental stress) were the primary cause psychological factors are also not the cause for autism, malnutrition, food allergies, immune deficiency, or watching television. 3. What forms of treatment are helpful for a person with autism?
Behavioral therapy, communication training, parent training, community integration and psychotropic medication and certain vitamins has helped when combined with other approaches. 4. List the criteria for a diagnosis of mental retardation:
The Criteria for diagnosis Mental Retardation according to the DSM-IV is a) Significantly sub-average intellectual functioning; an IQ of approximately 70 or below on an individually administered IQ test (for infants a clinical judgment of significantly sub-average intellectual functioning). b) Concurrent deficits or impairments in present adaptive functioning (i. e.. the person’s effectiveness in meeting the standards expected for his or her age by his or her cultural group) in at least two of the foolowing areas: communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community resources, self direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health, and safety. c) The onset is before age 18 years.
Code based on degree of severity reflecting level of intellectual impairment;
317 Mild mental retardation: IQ level 50-55 to approximately
318.0 Moderate mental retardation: IQ level 35-40 to 50-55
318.1 Severe mental retardation: IQ level 20-25 to 35-40
318.2 Profound mental retardation: IQ level below 20-25
319 Mental retardation, severity unspecified: when there is a strong presumption of mental retardation but the person’s intelligence is unstable by standard test. 5. Explain one way in which socio-cultural biases in testing might pose problems for assessing mental retardation.
Children nurture in households with higher socio-economic levels tend to have greater opportunity to be exposed to the kind of language and thinking the test measure. The test rarely measure the street sense needed for survival by the people who live in poor, crime-ridden areas. Minorities are often in disadvantage in taking the test and normally are left out of the test performed to those with the ability to pay for. Cultural fairness in intelligence test has resulted in an extensive revision, in order to make the procedure less cultural biased are the used of questions that can be equally understood and applied to people from different cultures and socio-economic background including question that are nor verbal to assess the intelligence of people who do not understand the language of the test. 6. Of the four levels of mental retardation, into which category do most people with mental retardation fall? 85 percent of the people diagnose with mild mental retardation (IQ 50-70) are able to be educate from schooling and can support themselves as adults. 7. What are the main types of biological causes of mental retardation? a) Chromosomal causes b) Metabolic causes c) Prenatal and birth related causes d) Childhood problems 8. What is the only way to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome?
Stop consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, even when researchers has not establish the safe level of alcohol the consumption is linked with the disorder. 9. What are normalization and mainstreaming?
Normalization is the attempt to provide normal living conditions, flexible routines, and common developmental experiences, including opportunities for self-determination, sexual fulfillment, and economic freedom. Mainstreaming is to place them in regular classes with non-retarded students, play sports, work in areas where dangerous routine are absent. 10. What is your opinion about mainstreaming and normalization for children and adults with autism or mental retardation?
Both programs seem to work very well, people need to feel effective and competent in order to move forward in life. I have seen young adults working in groceries stores and department stores and seen to be doing alright. They also feel wanted and allow then to grow with the community, they become leaders in the areas of sport and even they can become teacher and counselor for other with the same problem.

References
American Psychological Association (1994) DSM-IV Criteria Codes for Mental Retardation.
Comer, R. J. (2005) Fundamental of Abnormal Psychology 4th Edition
Hudson Valley (2011) Autism Resource Center: Cause and Treatment for Autism