ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the period 1950-1990, but attempts to place research into its preceding and contemporary historical context. It uses 'mental retardation' as the international global term for the many conditions which have been variously designated as mental deficiency, mental subnormality, mental handicap, mental impairment, learning disability and doubtless others still to come. Advances in biomedical areas have been very considerable, and ultimately hold prospects for a reduction in the incidence of more severe forms of mental retardation. Overall description of a mentally retarded person will normally include a record of family and personal history, an assessment of present level of functioning, and a note of any special features of the diagnostic process. In turn these may provide broad hints about the prospects for treatment, with provisional indications of prognosis. Amelioration of mental retardation can take place through different approaches.