CHAPTER 9
CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS WITH SEVERE MENTAL RETARDATION
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction to Severe Mental Retardation
A. Current Demographics
B. Physical Characteristics
II. Behavioral and Emotional Characteristics
A. Behavioral Issues
III. Communication Characteristics
A. Speech and Language Development
B. Assessment and Interventions
IV. Educational Concerns
A. Functional Curriculum
B. Instructional Strategies
V. Summary
Key Terms
behavioral analysis
community-based instruction
community-referenced instruction
congenital conditions
full inclusion
Chapter Objectives
Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:
1. Explain basic demographic information about persons with severe mental retardation.
2. Describe the physical and functional correlates of severe mental retardation.
Suggested Activities
1. Have the class visit a school or facility in an effort to observe a special education teacher
involve her students in learning tasks, such as community-referenced instruction.
2. Invite an occupational or physical therapist to speak to the class regarding the special
considerations that are involved when working with a student with severe intellectual
disabilities.
3. Invite a speech therapist to speak to the class regarding the special communication
considerations that are involved when working with a student with severe intellectual
disabilities.
Evaluation Questions
Multiple Choice
1. Individuals who require extensive supports are referred to as persons with
A. mild mental retardation
B. severe mental retardation
C. disabilities
D. mental disabilities
2. The advocacy leader for persons with severe disabilities is known as
A. TASH
B. The Committee for the Advocacy of Persons with Severe Handicaps.
C. Parents and Advocates for Persons with Severe Handicaps.
D. The Advocacy Committee for Persons with Severe and Multiple Handicaps.
3. The “severe” label encompasses the group or groups specifically designated as
having
A. moderate mental retardation
B. severe mental retardation
C. profound mental retardation
D. all of the above
4. Approximately 1–3% of the total population have intellectual disabilities, but only ____
experience the need for extensive supports.
A. 15%
B. 10%
C. 3%
D. 2%
5. Generally, severe forms of intellectual disabilities are recognized when the child
A. begins preschool or kindergarten
B. enters middle or high school
C. graduates from high school and enters the workplace
D. is within the first year of life
6. Severe forms of intellectual disabilities are generally recognized
A. later in life than milder cases
B. earlier in life than milder cases
C. at the same rate as milder cases
D. none of the above
7. Most of the literature on intellectual disabilities was written with which group of people in
mind?
A. individuals with borderline cognitive impairment
B. individuals with mild cognitive impairment
C. individuals with severe cognitive impairment
D. a & b
8. People with severe intellectual disabilities can be described as
A. athletic
B. immobile
C. mobile to incapacitated
D. their range of motor ability stretches from very athletic to immobile
9. Medical conditions that are present from birth are known as
A. genetic
B. acquired
C. progressive
D. congenital
10. Severe intellectual disabilities is usually biologically based, and these individuals often
experience
A. few disabilities
B. multiple disabilities
C. no disabilities
D. lung and heart problems
11. People with severe intellectual disabilities sometimes develop
A. serious cancers of the skin
B. academic skills to the extent they no longer need specialized instruction
C. physical symptoms such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida
D. difficult behaviors such as aggression and self-injury
12. Janet demonstrates a repetitive pattern of rocking back and forth while flipping her hair. The
behavior she is engaging in is termed
A. agitation
B. self-injury
C. self-stimulation
D. adaptive behavior
13. The study of environmental events that change behavior is known as
A. functional assessment
B. behavioral psychology
C. behavior analysis
D. environmental analysis
14. Social attention, escape from demands, access to tangibles, and self-stimulation or sensory
reinforcement are known as
A. functions of behavior
B. aberrant behaviors
C. inappropriate behaviors
D. all of the above
15. Keisha’s psychologist directly observes her behavior while she is in the classroom
setting. She also interviews Keisha’s teacher and parents concerning her maladaptive
behaviors. Keisha’s psychologist is conducting a(n)
A. outcomes-based assessment
B. environmental analysis
C. functional assessment
D. ecological model
16. The first step in developing a behavior modification plan is
A. functional assessment
B. behavioral psychology
C. behavior analysis
D. environmental analysis
17. Mental illness is thought to occur at a _____ in individuals with intellectual disabilities than
in the general population
A. lower rate
B. higher rate
C. later age
D. none of the above
18. The definitive diagnostic source for psychiatric disorders is
A. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual–IV
B. The New England Encyclopedia of Disorders–Revised
C. The Psychiatric Disorders Manual–V
D. The Encyclopedia of Diagnoses and Treatment–III
19. The rate of speech and language disorders among individuals with severe mental
retardation is estimated at
A. 100 %
B. 90 %
C. 80%
D. 65%
20. Among individuals with intellectual disabilities communication attempts are more likely to
occur when the person
A. is irritable
B. is hungry
C. wants to access an object or request assistance
D. is in a home setting
21. The most commonly used methods of non-verbal communication among individuals with
intellectual disabilities are
A. crying and tantrumming
B. aggression and self-injurious behaviors
C. self-stimulatory behaviors
D. gesturing and manual signing
22. Research indicates that communication skills are learned more quickly and are retained for
longer period of time when
A. simulated approaches are used
B. naturalistic approaches are used
C. community-based approaches are used
D. home-based approaches are used
23. Teaching everyday life skills in order to maximize the student’s potential for independence is
termed
A. task analysis
B. functional curriculum
C. educational needs
D. skills training
24. Applying skills learned in one setting to other situations is known as
A. generalization
B. modeling
C. adaptation
D. adaptive learning
25. Mark is learning how to tie his shoes. While learning how to tie his shoes, his teacher gives
him a peppermint each time he completes a step. This process is called
A. modeling
B. gestural prompts
C. task analysis
D. functional analysis
26. The fading process involved in physical assistance is termed
A. priming
B. graduated guidance
C. gestural prompt
D. shaping
27. A student who takes part in _______ may actually go to a grocery store to shop during school
hours
A. community-referenced instruction
B. community-based instruction
C. functional curriculum
D. generalization
28. A policy of all students being educated in inclusive environments 100% of the time, without
regard to the severity of the disability is termed
A. right to education act
B. full inclusion
C. no child left behind act
D. special accommodations
29. Joshua is learning to identify price tags in the classroom. This training is called
A. community-referenced instruction
B. task analysis
C. community-based instruction
D. graduated guidance
30. The practice of judging the value of an educational program by the progress each child
makes is called
A. educational outcomes
B. outcomes-based assessment
C. equal evaluation
D. natural consequences
True or False
Directions: If the statement is true, simply mark True. If the statement is false, mark
False and rewrite the statement so that it is true.
1. Positive inclusion experiences can benefit non-disabled peers as well as students with
severe intellectual disabilities.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Impulse control disorders, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders are cited as having a
high rate of occurrence in individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Environmental deprivation is not usually an associated factor for people with severe
intellectual disabilities.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Severe mental retardation is usually environmentally based, and people with severe
mental retardation often experience few disabilities.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Challenging behaviors are often eliminated by teaching adaptive behaviors such as
communication, choice-making, and social skills.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. When conducting behavioral assessments, it is important to disregard factors such as
relationships and pleasure activities.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. The development of language has an impact on other cognitive processes such as
memory and problem solving.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. The tools of behavioral psychology have demonstrated minimal success in teaching a
wide array of adaptive behaviors and decreasing challenging behaviors.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. People with severe intellectual disabilities experience many life stressors that show a low
correlation with emotional health.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
10. Physical inclusion of persons with severe intellectual disabilities leads naturally to peer
acceptance.
a. True
b. False
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Discussion
1. Discuss some common behavioral, communication, and functional characteristics of
people with severe intellectual disabilities.
2. Discuss some common physical and emotional characteristics of people with severe
intellectual disabilities.
3. Discuss the role mental illness plays in individuals with severe intellectual disabilities.
4. Explain the basic demographic information about persons with severe intellectual
disabilities.
5. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of an integrated learning setting.
6. Discuss the rationale for using functional assessments with individuals who exhibit
challenging behaviors.
Answer Sheet
Multiple Choice True or False