The present, past and future of the study of intellectual disability: challenges in developing countries

There is strong evidence that socio-cultural factors largelydetermine what is seen as competent behaviour. Within westernhigh income countries, driven by the values of utilitarianindividualism, the construct of intellectual disability has beenlargely determined to meet the needs of urban, industrialisedsocieties. In contrast, competence in non-industrialised societiesmay be more reflected in collaborative, interpersonalproblem solving skills such as those found among Nigerianstudents labelled as intellectually disabled. However, peoplewho are judged to be incompetent or “obtrusive” in countriesdeficient in support services, are often neglected andconsigned to a life in poorly managed segregated institutions,as is the case in China, Russia and some countries in EasternEurope. Non western countries that have a long history ofa globalised economy, such as Taiwan and Japan also remaincommitted to segregated institutional provisions for peoplewith an intellectual disability, despite a notional acceptanceof inclusionary policies enunciated by the United Nations´Declarations and Conventions. In this paper is concludedthat it must be recognised that the population of peoplewith an intellectual disability, regardless of how the conditionis defined and classified, is quite heterogeneous. Theirneeds are also varied and not at all dissimilar to those of thegeneral population. As developing countries adopt westernstyle consumer-driven economies, there is an extreme dangerthat they, too, will follow the same trajectory of exclusionand impose the culture of “otherness” for a group whosecontribution to that society will be devalued. Good scienceis futile unless it benefits all peoples.