Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services

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Mental Impairment, Mental Disability, Mental Retardation

Dr. Steven Gaskell at Psycholegal & Clinical Assessment Services performs psychological assessments for intellectual functioning including psycholegal assessments regarding Mental Retardation.  At this time, assessments for developmental disability/mental retardation are only performed for forensic cases.

DSM-IV-TR defines Mental Retardation as:

A. Significantly subaverage intellectual functioning: an IQ of approximately 70 or below on an individually administered IQ test (for infants, a clinical judgment of significantly subaverage 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 following 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. 

Without prior records before age 18 demonstrating an onset of IQ below 70 and adaptive functioning deficits a diagnosis of Mental Retardation can not be accurately or reliably made.

317 Mild Mental Retardation: IQ level 50-55 to approximately 70 

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 or 25

319 Mental Retardation, Severity Unspecified: when there is strong presumption of Mental Retardation but the person’s intelligence is untestable by standard tests