Definition
Developmental disabilities (DD) is an umbrella term for a group of interrelated, chronic, nonprogressive, neurological, or brain-based disorders which are defined as “severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments, manifested before age 22, that result in substantial limitations in three or more areas of major life activities: capacity for independent living, economic self-sufficiency, learning, mobility, receptive and expressive language, self-care, self-direction” (Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 2007). In the case of young children, DD is likely to result in significant limitations. Low IQ scores are typically associated with DD, and individuals with intellectual disabilities comprise the largest group considered to have DD (Larson et al., 2000), but other conditions may impose functional limitations on individuals whose intelligence is at or above average....
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Dowling, M. (2013). Developmental Disabilities. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_738
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