Summary
The rapid extension of mental subnormality services in the United Kingdom affords an opportunity for rational planning based on an accurate estimate of the number of handicapped people and measurement of their needs and family problems. Several British studies show that the prevalence of severe subnormality (I.Q. under 50) is about 3.7 per 1000 in the age-group 10–19. Most of these individuals have irreversible brain damage and are likely to be socially and economically dependent throughout their lives. The families therefore need supportive services for the whole of this time. — When applied to a standard population of 100,000 with a birth rate of 16 per 1000 per year, 96 severely subnormal children aged 0–15 would be expected. A survey in Wessex (an area in southern England) showed how many children were actually known to the mental subnormality services and what help they were receiving. An estimate of the number and type of day and residential facilities required is based on these two sets of data. It is shown that 17 severely subnormal children are likely to be in residential units in a population of 100,000. Instead of placing them in large remote institutions, with inevitably poor facilities, it is suggested that small “family” units should be set up within the main population centres so that they can use the same social, educational and medical services as children who remain at home. Similar calculations are made for adults. Possible administrative and financial problems are discussed. — The mildly subnormal often have disabilities which are more transitory in nature. The minority who require residential care tend to come from deprived social backgrounds and their behaviour problems are probably due more to this factor than to their mental retardation. — A scheme for experimentally evaluating any new services which are set up is suggested.
Résumé
L'expansion rapide des services pour arriérés mentaux au Royaume Uni fournit l'occasion d'un planning rationnel, basé sur une estimation précise du nombre des handicapés, de leurs besoins et de leurs problèmes familiaux. Plusieurs études faites en Angleterre montrent que la fréquence de l'arriération mentale grave (QI en-dessous de 50) est d'environ 3,7 pour mille dans un groupe d'âge de 10 à 19 ans. La plupart de ces cas souffrent d'une atteinte cérébrale irréversible et il est probable qu'ils seront toute leur vie socialement et économiquement dépendants. Leurs familles ont donc besoin, pendant tout ce temps, de services qui les aident. — Si l'on considère une population standard de 100'000 unités, avec une proportion de naissances de 16 pour mille par année, on peut s'attendre à trouver 96 enfants de 0 à 15 ans gravement arriérés. Une recherche effectuée dans le Wessex (région du sud de l'Angleterre) a montré combien d'enfants étaient en fait connus des services pour arriérés mentaux et quelle aide ils recevaient. On se base sur ces deux groupes de données pour étudier le nombre et le genre de dispositions nécessaires en cas de placement et de traitement ambulatoire. Il est montré que dans une population de 100'000 unités, 17 enfants gravement arriérés devront probablement être placés. Au lieu de les placer dans de grandes institutions éloignées, dont les avantages sont inévitablement minces, on propose d'instituer de petites unités »familiales« à l'intérieur des grands centres de population, de sorte qu'ils puissent bénéficier des mêmes services sociaux, éducationnels et médicaux que les enfants qui restent dans leur famille. On procède aux mêmes évaluations pour les adultes. Les problèmes administratifs et financiers éventuels sont discutés. — L'arriération mentale légère présente souvent un handicap de nature plus transitoire. Une minorité de cas seulement nécessite un placement, mais celui-ci vient plutôt de ce que le milieu social est perturbé, et leurs problèmes de comportement sont probablement dûs à cette perturbation sociale davantage qu'à leur arriération mentale. — On propose un schéma d'évaluation expérimentale de tous les nouveaux services qui sont créés.
Zusammenfassung
Das schnelle Anwachsen der Einrichtungen zur Betreuung Schwachsinniger in Großbritannien ermöglicht langfristige Planungen, die auf einer genauen Bestimmung der Anzahl Behinderter, ihrer Bedürfnisse und Familienprobleme beruhen. Aus verschiedenen britischen Untersuchungen geht hervor, daß die Häufigkeit schwerer Schwachsinnsformen (I.Q. unter 50) bei 3,7/1000 in der Altersgruppe 10 bis 19 liegt. Bei der Mehrzahl der Betroffenen bestehen irreversible Hirnschäden; sie bleiben wahrscheinlich während ihres gesamten Lebensweges sozial und ökonomisch hilfsbedürftig. Die Familien dieser Patienten bedürfen während der gesamten Zeit entsprechender Hilfen. — Rechnet man bei einer Standardpopulation von 100 000 mit einer Geburtenrate von 16/1000/Jahr, so sind 96 höhergradig schwachsinnige Kinder in der Altersgruppe 0 bis 15 zu erwarten. Eine Untersuchung im südenglischen Bezirk Wessex zeigt die Anzahl der Kinder, die in den Einrichtungen für Schwachsinnige tatsächlich bekannt sind, zugleich auch die ihnen zur Verfügung gestellten Hilfen. Beide Datenreihen ergeben Schätzwerte der erforderlichen Tagesstätten und Heime. Es läßt sich zeigen, daß 17 höhergradig schwachsinnige Kinder/100 000 der Bevölkerung heimbedürftig sind. Man sollte sie nicht in großen abgelegenen Institutionen mit ärmlichen Hilfsmöglichkeiten unterbringen, sondern in kleinen „Familien“-Einheiten innerhalb der Bevölkerungszentren, damit ihnen dieselbe soziale pädagogische und medizinische Betreuung zuteil werden kann, wie schwachsinnigen Kindern im Elternhaus. Ähnliche Berechnungen werden für schwachsinnige Erwachsene angestellt. Mögliche administrative und finanzielle Probleme werden angeschnitten. — Die leichtergradig Schwachsinnigen zeigen häufiger vorübergehende Störungen. Von ihnen bedarf nur eine Minderzahl der Heimunterbringung, und zwar meist solche, die aus einer gestörten Sozialumgebung stammen. Die Verhaltensschwierigkeiten dieser Gruppe hängen wahrscheinlich mehr mit Sozialfaktoren zusammen als mit dem intellektuellen Entwicklungsrückstand selbst. — Es wird ein Untersuchungsschema zur Beurteilung des Effektes neuer Behandlungseinrichtungen auf diesem Gebiet vorgelegt.
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Kushlick, A. A community service for the mentally subnormal. Soc Psychiatry 1, 73–82 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00583953
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00583953