ABSTRACT
The most general description of mental retardation typically is presented in terms of an
individual’s failure to demonstrate skills that are age-, cultural-, and situational-
appropriate. Mental retardation is a problem of human development, an expression of
behavioral differences among people as reflected in speed and quality of adaptation and
adjustment to changing demands of environments. Although adaptation can take many
forms in different situations, the essence of this fundamental quality or attribute, for
layman and professional alike, is inherent in the term commonly known as intelligence.
