Max is a 12-year-old student who has a full-scale IQ of 60 and concurrent deficits in social, academic, adaptive, and communication skills. Max is most likely to be classified with which of the following?

Max is a 12-year-old student who has a full-scale IQ of 60 and concurrent deficits in social, academic, adaptive, and communication skills. Max is most likely to be classified with which of the following?

• A. Specific Learning Disability
• B. Intellectual Disability
• C. Other Health Impairment
• D. Multiple Disabilities

Answer: (B)

Subaverage intellectual functioning paired with significant limitations in adaptive behavior and onset before 18 is what defines an intellectual disability. Max’s full-scale IQ of 60 places him well below the typical range, indicating markedly reduced cognitive functioning. Coupled with deficits in social, academic, adaptive, and communication skills, these patterns show broad, real-world limitations in everyday functioning, not just a specific academic skill. That combination is the hallmark of intellectual disability. A specific learning disability would involve average or near-average overall intelligence with difficulties in one or a few academic areas, not widespread adaptive deficits. An other health impairment centers on health conditions that affect learning, which isn’t described here. Multiple disabilities would require two or more distinct disabilities; the scenario points to intellectual disability as the primary classification given the broad cognitive and adaptive impacts.

Subaverage intellectual functioning paired with significant limitations in adaptive behavior and onset before 18 is what defines an intellectual disability. Max’s full-scale IQ of 60 places him well below the typical range, indicating markedly reduced cognitive functioning. Coupled with deficits in social, academic, adaptive, and communication skills, these patterns show broad, real-world limitations in everyday functioning, not just a specific academic skill. That combination is the hallmark of intellectual disability.

A specific learning disability would involve average or near-average overall intelligence with difficulties in one or a few academic areas, not widespread adaptive deficits. An other health impairment centers on health conditions that affect learning, which isn’t described here. Multiple disabilities would require two or more distinct disabilities; the scenario points to intellectual disability as the primary classification given the broad cognitive and adaptive impacts.