No abstract

Although the attention for substance use (SU) and SU disorders (SUD) among individuals with mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID) has been growing exponentially, this form of dual diagnosis has largely been ignored by addiction medicine. In this article, we systematically review the research between January 2000 and June 2018 on the prevalence, assessment, and treatment of SU(D) among children, adolescents, and adults with MBID. A total of 138 articles were included. It is concluded that individuals with MBID are likely to be at a higher risk for developing SUD compared to those without MBID. Future research should focus on the detection of MBID among patients being treated in addiction medicine, the development and implementation of systematic assessment methods of SU(D) among individuals with MBID, and the development and evaluation of prevention and treatment interventions. System integration, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of tailored treatment for individuals with MBID are advised to improve treatment access and outcome for those who have developed SUD.

Cognitive biases seem to vary within the group of problematic drinkers as a whole. The psychometric qualities of the measures are problematic, especially in relation to the intra-individual variability in reaction time found in participants with MBID. Until the implications of this variability on the validity of implicit measures and establishing bias scores are more clear, the use of these measures in individuals with MBID calls for scrutiny.

We conclude that the SF is a reliable and valid measure to estimate FSIQ. It can be used in clinical and research settings when global estimates of intelligence are sufficient.

Purpose of review To provide an overview of studies on substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) in individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID–BIF). Recent findings Many individuals with MID–BIF use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. On average, rates of substance use and SUD are similar to or even higher than those in peers with average intelligence. Individuals with MID–BIF are overrepresented in (forensic) addiction care. Several instruments are now available for the assessment of SUD and its risk factors in this target group. Prevention and intervention programs have been shown feasible and with promising outcomes, although the evidence base is still small. Professionals in addiction care and intellectual disability care facilities show deficiencies in skills in addressing SUD in clients with MID–BIF. Summary Research in this area is still in its infancy, though an increasing number of studies show promising outcomes regarding case identification, assessment, and treatment of SUD in intellectual disability. Policy and practice should be adapted to the characteristics of individuals with MID–BIF.