I'm writing a reflection paper on mental retardation and I'm just taking a poll of how many people either think the term is wrong or whether it has just gotten a bad stigma. Do you prefer a different term? What's everyone's thoughts?
2007-11-12 09:22:20 · 13 answers · asked by stilletto_killers 3 in Health ➔ Mental Health
Yes the term mental retardation is still the correct term it is still "politically correct." Please if you feel the need to tell me that it is not the correct term go and look up the information first because you will be wrong.
2007-11-12 11:07:56 · update #1
I'm not sure what good that would do to change it.
Whatever term we use will eventually be used in a joking way anway--there's no way to stop that from happening.
Words like "idiot", "moron" "imbecile", and "mental defective" used to be real clinical terms. Words like "special", "exceptional" and "mentally challenged" are already being used as insult words just like "retard."
We are still going to need a word to use for people whose IQ is lower than 70. "Learning Disabled" or "Learning Disordered" won't do because you can have a learning disability and a normal IQ. "Mentally Challenged" just sounds funny to me; I can't believe psychologist and doctors are going to use that term and I don't see why anyone would think it sounds better.
The correct terms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders are:
Mild Mental Retardation (IQ 50-69)
Moderate Mental Retardation (IQ 40-50)
Severe Mental Retardation (IQ 20-40)
Profound Mental Retardation (IQ under 20)
Mental Retardation Severity Unspecified (an exact IQ can't be determined)
Borderline Intellectual Functioning (IQ 70 to 83; lower than average but not MR).
Autism and mental retardation are not mutually exclusive; some people are diagnosed with both, they are two different things. However, it is true that some people with Autism are mistakenly labelled MR because they might not be responsive or cooperative with IQ testing.
"Cognitively impaired" doesn't work because it could also mean dementia; which is not the same thing as mental retardation.
My grade school records said "mentally retarded" too, until they actually tested my IQ. That was in the 1960s and they didn't have categories for learning disorders back then.
2007-11-12 09:35:05 · answer #1 · answered by majnun99 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
As a person who is employed in the Mental Health and Human Services field, I believe that the phrase "a person who has mental retardation" is the politically correct way to state that someone falls below a certain IQ level. I work with the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) and the most recent change to this is the Office of Adult Mental Retardation Services has now been changed to the Adults with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities Services ~the reason is because of the wide range of people who utilize the services in this branch of DHHS ~ those persons with developmental disorders (PDD, Asperger's, Autism, Down's Syndrome, etc) and those with MR (mental retardation). I do not believe that the term should be changed and I think the bad stigma is a result from people who use the term ignorantly {ie. "That's retarded."} No one who has a learning disability would be considered to have MR ~ there is extensive testing for this with IQ scores being one of the key indicators. Those are my thoughts - hope they help.
2007-11-12 09:44:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I like the Mentally Challenged term myself. Retardation to some people means stupid and unable to perform simple functions. Alot of Mentally challenged people can do alot on their own. Just a little slower.
2007-11-12 09:31:25 · answer #3 · answered by Soniafrompa 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Any new term that is picked will eventually also have negative conotations. In the meantime, any new term will be confusing until everyone learns it. My vote would be to stick with the descriptive term that everyone already knows and work on getting some people to be a bit more accepting of others.
2007-11-12 09:28:14 · answer #4 · answered by Paladin 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A correct term for what? I was branded as retarded when I actually had autism. Retarded is an outdated term and needs to be set aside. Most of us who struggle with our illnesses to live each day consider it highly derogatory.
2007-11-12 09:34:51 · answer #5 · answered by thewildeman2 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Mental retardation sounds right. The mental development is retarded. I don't see any reason to change it.
2007-11-12 09:44:38 · answer #6 · answered by seemore 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that the term is Just fine, but many people have abused it. It has a bad reputation when It simply means that somebody has a learning disability.
2007-11-12 09:26:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
it was the medical term before it became used as the everyday "retard." i think a few people should change before the entire medical field does.
2007-11-12 09:32:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I believe the correct term is cognitively impaired,
2007-11-12 09:42:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
i think that the term should remain since its the oringinal, proper term
2007-11-12 09:47:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋