A person with a developmental disability is more likely than the general population to experience mental illness. As many as 60% of persons with developmental disabilities may have symptoms that meet criteria for a diagnosis of a coexisting psychiatric disorder. These persons with dual diagnoses who have both a developmental disability and a psychiatric impairment will seek services in a variety of settings. Approximately 6 million persons in the United States have mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Psychiatric nurses who understand how developmental disabilities are defined can care with increased competence for a person with developmental disability and psychiatric impairment. Knowledge of behavioral signs and symptoms in a person with developmental disability and psychiatric impairment versus signs and symptoms of the same psychiatric impairment in the general population helps nurses to use a behavioral focus and provide holistic care.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Pub. L. No. 95-602, Report to Congress, 42 U.S.C.[UNKNOWN] 6001 note (1978).
2.
American Association on Mental Retardation. (1992). Mental retardation: Definition, classification, and systems of support (9th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Aragon, A., & Holmes, P. A. (1990). Engagement of patients and staff on a psychiatric hospital ward. Journal of Organizational Bebavior Management, 11, 171-188.
4.
Brown, D. T. (1994). Group counseling and psychotherapy. In D. C. Strohmer & H. T. Prout (Eds.), Counseling and psychotherapy with persons with mental retardation and borderline intelligence (pp. 195-233). Brandon, VT: Clinical Psychology Publishing.
5.
Cohen, L. J. (1994). Psychiatric hospitalization as an experience of trauma. Archives of Psycbiatric Nursing, 8, 78-81.
6.
Colson, D. B., Allen, J. G., Coyne, L., Dexter, N., Jehl, N., Mayer, C. A., & Spohn, H. (1986). An anatomy of countertransference: Staff reactions to difficult psychiatric hospital patients. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 37, 923-928.
7.
Crabbe, H. F. (1995). A guidebook for the use of psychotropic medication in persons with mental illness and mental retardation (2nd ed.). New London, CT: Omni Care Consultants.
8.
Duffy, T. H. (1991). Group counseling issues with people who are dually diagnosed. The NADD Newsletter, 8 (2), 1-5.
9.
Fletcher, R. J., & Poindexter, A. R. (1996, January/February/March). Current trends in mental health care for persons with mental retardation. The Journal of Rehabilitation, 62, 23-26.
10.
Lowry, M. A. (1993). Behavioral psychology update: A clear link between problem behaviors and mood disorders. The Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 12(6), 105-110.
11.
Lowry, M., & Sovner, R. (1991). The functional significance of problem behavior: A key to effective treatment. The Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 10 (10), 59-62.
12.
Menolascino, F. J., & Fleisher, M. H. (1993). Mental health care in persons with mental retardation: Past, present, and future. In R. J. Fletcher & A. Dosen (Eds.), Mental health aspects of mental retardation: Progress in assessment and treatment (pp. 18-37). New York: Lexington Books.
13.
Morse, J. S. (1994). An overview of developmental disabilities nursing. In S. P. Roth & J. S. Morse (Eds.), A life-span approach to nursing care for individuals with developmental disabilities (pp. 19-25). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
14.
Natvig, D. A. (1994). The role of the nurse as a case manager/qualified mental retardation professional. In S. P. Roth & J. S. Morse (Eds.), A life-span approach to nursing care for individuals with developmental disabilities (pp. 385-400). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
15.
Peplau, H. E. (1991). Interpersonal relations in nursing: A conceptual framework of reference for psychodynamic nursing. New York: Springer Publishing. (Original work published 1952).
16.
Reiss, S., Levitan, G.W., & Szyszko, J. (1982). Emotional disturbance and mental retardation: Diagnostic overshadowing. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 567-573.
17.
Ryan, R. (1994). Posttraumatic stress disorder in persons with developmental disabilities. Community Mental Health Journal, 30, 45-54.
18.
San Blise, M. L. (1995). Everything I learned, I learned from patients: Radical positive refraining. Journal of Psycbosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 33(12), 18-25.
19.
Schwartz, S. A., & Ruedrich, S. (1996). On the distinction between illness and behavioral problems in persons with mental retardation. Tbe Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 15(3), 60-62.
20.
Sovner, R. (1995). Behavioral psychopharmacology update: Management of treatment-resistant rapid cycling bipolar disorder. The Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 14 (5), 93-94.
21.
Sovner, R., & Hurley, A. D. (1987). Guidelines for the treatment of mentally retarded persons on psychiatric inpatient units. Psychiatric Aspects of Mental Retardation Reviews, 6(2-3), 7-13.
22.
Therapeutic options for developmentally disabled patients with psychotic symptoms. (1997, January). Current Approaches to Psychoses: Diagnosis and Management, 6, 8-9.
23.
Way, B. B., & Banks, S. M. (1990). Use of seclusion and restraint in public psychiatric hospitals: Patient characteristics and facility effects. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 41, 7-81.
