|
KMID : 0381219770090010019
|
|
Journal of RIMSK
1977 Volume.9 No. 1 p.19 ~ p.37
|
|
|
The Epidemiological and Cyto-genetic Studies on the Institutionalized Mental Retardation in Korea
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
In 1908, Tredgold defined mental retardation as "a state of incomplete development of such a kind and degree that the individual is incapable of adapting himself to the normal environ-ment of his fellows in such a way as to maintain existence independently of supervision, control or external support".
In contrast to the social emphasis in defining retardation, the LQ. alone was the sole criterion for determination of retardation in the United States during the first half of the 20th century.
According to the most recent and accepted definition, mental retardation refers -to-signifi-cantly subnormal general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the developmental period.
The planning of management and definition of the mental retardation were mainly dependent upon the epidemiological and cyto-genetic studies. Most of the retarded were institutionalized from latency to adolescent period. After the period of adolescence most of them would be sent back home or to society, thus this period is considered to be the most critical period to determine the possibility of social adaptation.
In this study, it was attempted to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of the institutionalized mental retarded as of December 1, 1975. This data was obtained by face to face interviews with the retarded persons conducted by the trained professional interviewers including psychiatrist, social worker, and other para-psychiatric fieldworkers to reveal the characteristic pictures of the adolescent mental retarded such as sex and age distribution, etiological analysis, identifying Batas, developmental history, and the hospitalization records etc.
The results were as follows:
1. Among 491 cases, the boys were 64.6% (317 cases) and the girls as 35.4% (174 cases). This difference may be closely related with the fact that more boys are favored than girls in the Korean traditional orientation.
2. From this survey, it was revealed that the older age groups were tended to be considered as organic disorders in the data’s of the clinical diagnosis, the etiological consideration, and the recommended diagnostic procedures.
3. In the relationship between intellectual level and social adaptation, the adolescent retarded shows severe impairment of social adaptation and psychotic breakdown due to complications of mental retardation. This tendencies were supposed to be caused by insufficient training and improper education, and it is necessary to give attention to the adolescent mental retarded in order to reach the maximum level of their social adaptation.
4. The inverse relationship between the number of cases and age was supposed to be arisen from the tendencies of early discharge due to their socio-economic problems rather than improvement of. social adaptation.
5. The lack of the developmental and hospital history was supposed to be caused by indifferent attitude and lack of social understanding toward them.
For the early recognition,. accurate diagnosis and improvement of social adaptation by training and education, it is necessary to establish the comprehensive programs such as the expansion of facilities, the training of professional personnel’s, the improvement of the socio-economic standards and governmental aids for the retarded.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|