Journal article
Is the discrepancy criterion for defining developmental disorders valid?
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol.45(5), pp.979-995
2004
Abstract
Most developmental disorders are defined by an achievement discrepancy in which achievement on one or more specific abilities is substantially less than a person's measured intelligence. We evaluated the validity of this discrepancy criterion by assessing parameters that determine variability across abilities and by assessing relationships between achievement discrepancies and behavioral disturbances. METHODS: Measures of intelligence, language, motor coordination, empathic ability, and attentional control were administered to a representative sample of 390 children aged 3 to 12 years. Parent ratings of child behavior were obtained. RESULTS: Results indicate that achievement discrepancies are a function of the correlation between ability measures, the shape of the ability distributions, and position on an index ability dimension. Discrepancies in achievement were not related to behavioral disturbance, but underachievement relative to age peers was invariably related to behavioral disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that developmental disorders need to be redefined in ways that are consistent with how Mental Retardation is now defined, by (a) underachievements, (b) of defined magnitude, (c) using standardized measures, (d) with known relations to normal development, and (e) concurrent deficits on standardized measures of impaired function.
Details
- Title
- Is the discrepancy criterion for defining developmental disorders valid?
- Authors/Creators
- M.J. Dyck (Author/Creator)D. Hay (Author/Creator)M. Anderson (Author/Creator)L.M. Smith (Author/Creator)J. Piek (Author/Creator)J. Hallmayer (Author/Creator)
- Publication Details
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol.45(5), pp.979-995
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Identifiers
- 991005545215107891
- Copyright
- Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
Metrics
18 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.82 Gait & Posture
- 1.82.783 Motor Control
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Psychology, Developmental
- ESI research areas
- Psychiatry/Psychology