The aim of this chapter is to examine current and emerging themes in respect to intellectual disability to assist clinicians and their patients. Recent literature points to an increased rate of intellectual disability across the lifespan, from childhood, adulthood and old age, in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a number of factors that appear to accelerate the prevalence from roughly two times the rate in childhood to five times the rate for people over 65 years of age. The chapter examines the various factors that impact on this issue including diagnosis, contributing factors, Aboriginal perspectives on intellectual disability, the impacts on family, the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in management and assessments that may be of use.
The information contained on this website has been sourced by the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP) and AIPEP 2. The first AIPEP was funded by the Australian Government Office of Teaching and Learning. AIPEP 2 is part of the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing Project, funded by the Million Minds Mission Grant. The views expressed in this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office of Teaching and Learning or the Million Minds Mission Grant.
Several of the images used throughout this website are credited to Chris Lewis