Intellectual disabilities and intervention strategies: international approach

Abstract

Introduction: This study focuses on the strategies of implementing practical activities in children with intellectual disabilities. It is aimed at encouraging and rehabilitating neuropsychological processes of attention, behaviour and cognition (visual and spatial abilities, elemental and complex motor abilities and conceptual functions). Subject: This study was aimed at children with mild intellectual disabilities with the emphasis on their cognitive and behavioural functioning in relation to different aspects of the applied treatment strategies. Material and methods: The sample consists of 124 examinees with mild intellectual disability, of both genders, aged between 8 and 13, attending primary schools in Belgrade. In this research we applied the Trial Making Test (TMT; Reitan, 1971) for attention assessment, the IOWA Conners' Rating Scale for Children for behaviour assessment, and the Test of Concept Utilization (TCU; Crager and Lane, 1981) for the assessment of cognitive functions. Results: The results indicate the presence of developmental disabilities in the examined areas in more than 50% of the tested children and a high statistically significant correlation between the applied treatment modalities and tested abilities and functions (r=0.52-0.59, df lt 0.01). The study points out the necessity of implementing the multimodal approach: team work of professionals and non-professionals (cooperation between professionals and parents), complementary treatment (medical and special treatment, psychosocial interventions, combination of treatment strategies), psychotherapy and psycho-pharmacotherapy when necessary, as well as special education and rehabilitation, based on individual education programs and individual training programs (IEP and ITP) and special rehabilitation procedures and methods. Conclusion: New treatment strategies, with the emphasis on special rehabilitation treatment, were proposed in conclusion.