Age Recognition in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: a Literature Review and an Exploratory Study

Abstract

The ability of children to classify accurately their own ages and the ages of others has been the subject of very limited research. However, the literature is largely in agreement on there being progressive increases in skill with chronological age, although there is disagreement on the age at which this ability becomes well developed. The processes look similar in the field of intellectual disabilities, although this area is extremely under‐researched. Key factors may include age, the amount of time spent in institutions (e.g. long‐term hospitals for people with intellectual disabilities), developmental level and IQ. The present paper provides a review of the relevant literature and an exploratory study investigating the age recognition of self and colleagues in a group of 20 adults with intellectual disability, some from within what has been a major hospital for people with intellectual disabilities and some from the wider community. Measures of age recognition using photographs, as well as standardized measures of intellectual ability and social adaptive behaviour, were administered, and correlations were found between the ability to recognize age in others and developmental age, and also IQ. Success on the task of age discrimination appears to be more likely if the IQ of the individual is around 60–65 or above, and if the person shows social adaptive behaviour equivalent to 8 or 9 years of age and over. Also included in the study was a task in which only the discrimination of whether the photographs were of adults or children was required, and this proved to be a simpler process for the participants. The present study also demonstrates some of the discriminative stimuli used by adults with intellectual disabilities to ascertain the approximate age of a person.

Assessment and Intervention to Teach Age Recognition Skills: a Suggested Programme Using the Example of a Case Study to Illustrate

“…A few details which do not affect the findings have indeed been altered. Also, since the original project by Bell & Espie (2000), many men with similar histories have been examined using similar measures and assessments, and the findings could apply in theory to a number of men in the area, hence protecting the anonymity of Mr X.…”

“…Detailed reports of the contents of a previous social skills package devised by a clinical psychologist were looked at, and a set of follow‐up sessions on the areas which had been covered were arranged which were to be carried out by an assistant psychologist. The full range of measures of age recognition used by Bell & Espie (2000) were administered. Full details of these measures are described in the above paper, but a resume of these measures is given below:…”

“… carry out a full assessment of his intellectual ability and developmental level in terms of social and adaptive behaviour, and to feed these findings back to care staff and to compare these levels with the key levels found by Bell & Espie (2000); carry out a current assessment of socio‐sexual knowledge and attitudes to determine any paedophilic interest; assess Mr X's understanding of language in order to target intervention at an appropriate level; and assess assertiveness, suggestibility and compliance to assist in determining his ability to cope with police questioning and legal procedures, as well as discussions with care staff. …”

“…carry out a full assessment of his intellectual ability and developmental level in terms of social and adaptive behaviour, and to feed these findings back to care staff and to compare these levels with the key levels found by Bell & Espie (2000);…”

“…This research was supported by recent findings in a small exploratory study by Bell & Espie (2000). It suggested that there were correlations between the ability to recognize age in others with both IQ and the developmental level of social adaptive behaviour.…”