Similar to the state of the broader intellectual disabilities field, many gaps exist in the research and treatment of mental health concerns in people with Down syndrome. This review summarizes key findings on the type and prevalence of behavior and emotional problems in children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome. Such findings include…

The classification of couples' intrapersonal interaction styles assessed in terms of clinical judgment was compared with assessment based on the Pair Attraction Inventory. The degree of agreement was highly significant on five of the seven inventory categories; this was considered to be evidence for the validity of the inventory. (Author/JKS)

This digest examines attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and symptoms of the disability. Pertinent adult problems include: (1) substance abuse, antisocial behaviors, and criminality, all of which can occur in adults with ADHD; (2) poor social skills or deficits in self-awareness are also frequent; (3) occurrence of ADHD with…

A case study of a man with intellectual disability who died of polydipsia (excessive thirst and fluid consumption) is recounted. The article describes ways to identify polydipsia in individuals with intellectual disabilities, including detecting weight gain in the afternoon. Studies addressing polydipsia's coexistence with mental disorders are…

Identifies common imagery created by psychiatric inpatients through the amusement park technique; demonstrates how the artwork serves to identify the psychodynamic concerns of the mentally ill substance abuser. Connections are examined relating patients choice of image, psychiatric diagnosis, and drug of choice. This technique offers promise for…

This study, involving 1,245 institutionalized adults with severe and profound mental retardation, compared individuals with and without autistic features, as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II). Core and associated features of autism in this population are identified, and characteristics of persons with…

A man with mental retardation, in detention for five years because of sex offenses with preadolescent boys, was not only diagnosed as having Klinefelter syndrome when a social worker read suspected the possibility and arranged for a chromosome test. The importance of a complete medical work-up is emphasized in such cases. (JDD)

Subjects who self-reported episodes of abusing a child were compared to those without a history of child battery. It was concluded that self-identified child abusers have increased lifetime rates of antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism, and depression. (DB)

Lyme disease may be one of the most commonly misdiagnosed diseases of this decade. Health educators should be knowledgeable about this new disease and be able to share with the public information about prevention, early signs and symptoms, and treatment of the disease (Author/IAH)

Institutionalized adults with mental retardation (74% of whom had severe to profound retardation) were assessed. Of 30 adults who had been diagnosed as having affective disorders, 4 did not meet modified criteria for affective disorder; and of 30 with other psychiatric disorders, 6 did meet criteria for affective disorder. (Author/JDD)

Describes the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised and discusses its use in diagnosing learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents and adults. It addresses ethical and legal issues, the schism of standardized testing vs. modifications, assessment alternatives, and practitioner guidelines. (DB)

A study investigated autism awareness among 250 English medical students at different stages of training. Compared to first-year students, fourth-year students were significantly more likely to respond correctly to questions related to diagnostic criteria and core symptoms; however, significant differences were not found for other aspects.…

Connections between current and historical autism-specific behavior reported using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised were investigated using 93 subjects showing autistic behaviors. The association was high, although there was a tendency for diagnostic exclusion of adolescents and adults, especially verbal, high-functioning individuals who…

A panel of speech professionals was randomly presented with speech samples from four neurogenic and four developmental stutterers and was asked to classify them accordingly without any patient knowledge. Results support the view that, based on the patient's verbal output only, it is difficult to distinguish between neurogenic and developmental…

The validity of the schizophrenia subscale of the Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults (PIMRA) was evaluated with 65 adults having mild to moderate mental retardation as well as either schizophrenia, depression, or no psychopathology. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted, as were interrater reliability analyses.…