The psychometric characteristics of the IBR Modified Overt Aggression Scale were studied in over 2,000 people with Intellectual Disability (ID). Reliability ranged from good to excellent. Aggression toward others and objects was highest in the youngest adults, in those in the moderate to severe range of ID, and in those with an autism spectrum diagnosis. Self-injury was highest in those in the severe to profound range of ID and in those with autism, particularly the females. Females with autism were also more likely to make the most self-deprecating statements. Our data suggest that adult females with autism are a unique group and support the notion that mood and anxiety disorders play a role in self-destructive behaviors in this population.

The combined quantitative/qualitative protocol is an important advancement in evaluating individuals with DS and should be integrated into a more comprehensive evaluation of dynamic gait and lower limb analysis.

No abstract

Brainstem auditory evoked response latencies were studies in 75 males (13 with fragile X syndrome, 18 with mental retardation due to other causes, and 44 with no disability). Latency values were obtained for each ear for the positive deflections of waves I (P1), III (P3), and V (P5). Some individuals with mental retardation required sedation. Contrary to previous report, latencies obtained for individuals with fragile X did not differ from those obtained for persons without mental retardation. Persons receiving sedation, whether or not their retardation was due to fragile X, had longer latencies for wave P5 than persons who did not receive sedation. This effect of sedation may also explain the previously reported increased latencies for persons with fragile X.

These findings help to elucidate the complex biomechanical strategy of people with DS during a step ascent and descent movement task and may have a major role in the multidimensional evaluation and tailored management for them.