Empirical classification of behavioral and psychiatric problems in children and adolescents with mental retardation

Am J Ment Retard. 2004 Nov;109(6):445-55. doi: 10.1352/0895-8017(2004)109<445:ECOBAP>2.0.CO;2.

Abstract

A quantitative method for typing psychopathology of youngsters with mental retardation was assessed. Parents of 601 students in special educational placements rated them with the ABC. The sample was randomly divided into two subgroups. We used Ward's hierarchical method of cluster analysis and derived eight clusters in Subsample 1 and satisfactory agreement, kappa =.64, for the eight-cluster solution in Subsample 2. Clusters were: Problem Free, Within Normal Limits, Conduct Problem, Shy/Inactive, Hyperactive, Social Withdrawal With Agitation, Undifferentiated Behavior Disturbance, and Autistic-Like Behavior. We also used demographic (age, gender, IQ, physical handicaps) and clinical variables (DSM diagnoses and target behaviors) extracted from school records of 228 participants to appraise validity of the empirically derived clusters. The external data provided modest to strong support for all except one cluster (Social Withdrawal With Agitation).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / classification*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / diagnosis
  • Comorbidity
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability / diagnosis*
  • Mental Disorders / classification*
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Psychopathology