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Virginia Commission on Youth - Mental Retardation

The diagnostic evaluation for psychiatric disorders is principally the same for patients with mental retardation, child and adult, as it is in the general population (Szymanski & King, 1999). It is important to recognize, however, that the psychiatric diagnostic assessment of children with mental retardation must be comprehensive and consider biological, psychological, and social contexts, rather than being merely a “medication evaluation” focused only on the choice of drug to suppress a disruptive behavior. Furthermore, any additional mental health diagnosis should be formal and specific, rather than a nonspecific description of “behavior disorder” or “challenging behavior.” It is important that the child’s assessment and resulting diagnosis demonstrate that he is ill, rather than merely “bad” or “noncompliant.”
Research indicates that lack of services can exacerbate the problems of children with mental retardation, as it may allow for an increase in the severity of the disability or learning delays (The Arc, 1999). Furthermore, the lack of services may also lead to greater dependence, isolation, and a decrease in self-esteem and productivity. Consequently, providers and policy makers must make every effort to identify these children and provide them with necessary services to ensure that they become productive members of society.