A new study has found that a significant proportion of the increased risk of psychiatric disorder among children with intellectual disabilities may be due to their increased rate of exposure to psychosocial disadvantage.

The aim of the study, published in the December 2007 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, was to set up the prevalence of psychiatric disorders amongst children with and without intellectual disabilities; the organization with social and environmental risk factors; and the risk attributable to intellectual disabilities.

The study, carried out by Professor Eric Emerson from Lancaster University, involved the analysis of goods collected in the 1999 and 2004 Office for National Statistics surveys of the mental health of British children and adolescents. 641 children (3.5% of the total sample) were identified as having intellectual disabilities and 17,774 as not having them. Children with intellectual disabilities were significantly more likely to be male.

It was found that the prevalence of a wide range of psychiatric disorders was significantly higher among children with intellectual disabilities than among children without - 36% compared with 8%. Those with intellectual disabilities accounted for 14% of all British children with a diagnosable psychiatric disorder.

Increased prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders were particularly marked for autistic-spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorders. The latter accounted for about

two-thirds of all psychiatric diagnoses among children with intellectual disabilities.

The cumulative risk of exposure to social disadvantage was associated with increased prevalence rates for emotional disorders, conduct disorders and ADHD among both groups of children.

Children with intellectual disabilities were at significantly greater risk of exposure to all forms of social disadvantage, such as poverty.

After taking into explanation differences within the 2 groups in rates of exposure to social disadvantage, the researchers found that there was a significantly reduced risk of psychiatric disorders among children with intellectual disabilities.

They comment that the results of that study are consistent with the results of previous research. The findings must be of concern, given the evidence that mental health problems have a major negative impact on the well-being, social inclusion and life opportunities of children.

Approaches to reducing the personal, social and economic costs associated with psychiatric disorders among children with intellectual disabilities should focus both on reducing their exposure to adverse social conditions, and on building their (and their families’) resilience when prevention of exposure to adversity cannot be guaranteed.

Future research needs to identify the contribution of (and interplay between) intellectual impairment, social/environmental factors, psychological factors and biological factors to increased rates of psychiatric disorders among children with intellectual disabilities.

Original post by Mallows