Term Paper on "Mental Retardation in Adolescents"

Term Paper 5 pages (1756 words) Sources: 7

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Mental Retardation in Adolescences

Mental Retardation in Adolescents

Being an adolescent is already hard enough. Add symptoms of mental retardation into the mix, and life can become incredibly complex without proper treatment and acknowledgment of the symptoms of such disorders and conditions. Mental retardation can affect adolescents hard, and recent research has shown the need for not only more specific diagnostic criteria, but also of more comprehensive treatment strategies that prepare the mentally retarded adolescent for their future life in adulthood.

Mental retardation is a broad term that covers a wide variety of conditions, syndromes, and disorders. According to the research, mental retardation begins in early life and can have serious consequences on the intellectual functioning (Sebastian 2008). The primary symptom of the condition is a lowered intelligence that then negatively affects the individual's ability to think clearly and live independently. Research suggests that "The condition is characterized by a limitation of performance due to a significant impairment in measured intelligence," (Mental Retardation -- Developmental delay 2010). In most cases, this involves an intelligence quotient (IQ) rating of 70 or below and typically begins to show up in various symptoms before the age of eighteen (Sebastian 2008). Therefore, many of today's adolescents are dealing with the dramatic affects of living life with mental retardation. The condition itself can cause reading disorders, problems assimilating mathematical concepts, and further problems expressing emotions through written words (Zeldin 2010). This then makes it extremely difficult for adolescents to follow traditional curriculum guidelines.

In many cases, it caused by chromosome damage, or a lacking in the chromosome structure. Therefore, it begins from conception. Down syndrome is a common genetic malfunction. According to research Down syndrome is caused by a translocation of the 21st chromosome, making it a genetically transmitted condition (Sebastian 2010). Another common condition is called X-linked syndrome. This common form of mental retardation is linked to the X chromosome, also relating it to genetic roots (Sebastian 2008). Additionally, there can be causes after birth. Infections and brain damage have also been known to have later affects during and before adolescence. Research suggests that bacterial infections and brain damage can also result in later signs of mental retardation (Sebastian 2008).

Mental retardation has long been known to the scientific community, but more recent advancements have opened up new ways of handling it through the toughest years of adolescence. According to research, "Its history dates back to the beginning of man's time on earth," (Biasini et al. 2010). Early Egyptian documents refer to brain damage being seen later in life, becoming especially prominent as individuals began the transition into adilescence (Biasini et al. 2010). Then much later in more modern times, Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard did amazing work with individuals who were mentally retarded in the early nineteenth century in France. He originally worked with an adolescent boy named Victor, and from his experiences and observations, Itard made remarkable findings about the capabilities of the mentally retarded mind and possible causes, before the age of genetic testing. In 1908, Henry Goddard established a training school in New Jersey, and translated "newly developed test of intelligence," (Biasini et al. 2010). Since the adoption of intelligence rating scales in the United States, mental retardation has been easier to diagnose, providing more ample treatment strategies. The condition itself affects thousands of Americans, and much more across the globe. Research states that mental retardation affects somewhere between one and three percent of people in the United States (Sebastian 2008). These individuals suffer not only from learning disabilities, but also from overall lags in development. Additionally, many of these individuals can also suffer from psychiatric disorders; in fact forty to seventy percent of individuals with mental retardation have additional psychiatric problems (Sebastian 2008). This prevalent condition in our society has driven new research to focus on how to best provide for such individuals, especially as hey begin their journey into adulthood.

There are several commonly used diagnostic criteria which can help diagnose a case of mental retardation. Simple observation of behavior has always been relied upon as a way to begin an investigation into further diagnoses. According to research individuals with mental retardation have very short attention spans and can have trouble with acting out (Sebastian 2008). This behavior does not go unnoticed by the people around them. Adolescents are especially open for observation, based on their close interaction with parents and teachers. The observations of these individuals can then prompt a more serious investigation into the condition; "Parental and teacher reports of skills and behaviors are reviewed in conjunction with a thorough history and psychical examination," (Mental Retardation -- Developmental delay 2010). Once it is clear that there may be elements of mental retardation in individual adolescents, there are a variety of tests which can make a more solid diagnosis. One of the most commonly used strategies is the variety of intelligence scales that reflect on individual mental capacities. Einfeld and Tonge created the Developmental Behavior Checklist, which is a "96-item checklist that helps to detect the presence of emotional and behavioral problems," (Sebastian 2008). Behaviors are then categorized into six subscales: disruptive, self-absorbed, communication disturbance, anxiety, autistic relating, and antisocial (Sebastian 2008). Additionally, testing on genetic chromosomes can reveal the distinct abnormalities which are the tell-tale signs of conditions such as Down syndrome. Yet, the current system for diagnosis today can miss many individuals. Yet, a diagnosis can go undetected or unnecessary when the teen shows signs of adaptive behavior, or the ability to adapt to the external world around them (Mental Retardation -- Developmental delay 2010). Therefore it is the adaptive behavior that is most prevalent in terms of when a diagnosis is applicable. Research states that the adaptive behavior "refers to how well an individual copes with common life demands," (Mental Retardation -- Developmental delay 2010). However, this can be hard to gauge, and so it is clear that more concrete methodologies of gauging the adaptive behavior of adolescents is necessary.

Children moving into the stage of adolescence are riddled with also entering the stages of puberty that then peak their sexual interest. Adolescents dealing with mental retardation are no exception, and also deal with the pressures of a growing sexual libido, but do so in a much more complicated manner. In fact, most adolescents suffering from such a condition have a much harder time dealing with these new sexual issues in comparison to their counterparts experiencing normal development. In many cases, adolescents with mental retardation fail to grasp what is happening to their bodies, in which case can cause great stress within an already stressful time period in their young lives. Research states that part of sexual development includes a higher internal knowledge of the process. This issue with sexual development makes adolescent individuals with mental retardation complicated to work with in many social or formal instances. According to research, "People with disabilities are often erroneously regarded as childlike, asexual, and in need of protection," (Murphy 2006). Therefore, many adolescents are not given proper information regarding their bodily changes and how to behave with the new urges that come about with puberty and sexual development. Still, "Societal and psychosocial barriers may be more of a hindrance to an adolescent's sexual development than the limitations of the disability itself," (Murphy 2006). This makes it clear that any proper treatment of adolescents with mental retardation must include proper sexual education and review of etiquette between the sexes in this delicate time.

Modern treatment has pushed towards more out-patient care. In fact, hospitalization for mental retardation in adolescents is rare within the modern consequence. In more recent years, hospitalization is only recommended when the individual becomes a danger to themselves in some way (Sebastian 2008). Collaboration between psychiatrists, caregivers, and family members can provide the most successful results within the context of adolescents. Additionally, there are several modern treatment modules in practice today. The applied behavior analysis includes "techniques that are based on the principles and methods of behavior analysis and are intended to build appropriate functional skills," (Sebastian 2008). Using positive reinforcement is also a strong strategy to help the adolescent learn how to cope within social settings. This includes the rewarding specific behaviors that go against negative behaviors and are more socially acceptable (Sebastian 2008).

Many prior treatment recommendations in previous generations revolved around institutionalization or constant care of individuals. Today, recent research has shown that growing adolescents can be trained to live a semi-independent life as adults if they are given the proper skill sets to do so during their adolescent years. According to research, "Today, the goal is to help the child with intellectual disabilities stay in the family and take part in community life," (Collins 2004). Individuals with mental retardation are normally taken out of general education during their adolescence and placed within more specialized vocational training in order to better prepare them for their adult lives. Research states that "The emphasis on individual strengths and interests and related vocations becomes even stronger at this… READ MORE

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