Review of 'Mental Health of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Framework for Professional Practice', edited by D. Dossetor, D. White, and L. Whatson: Melbourne, IP Communications, 2011, 456pp., $80.00 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-9808649-2-2

Abstract

Historically, many definitions of intellectual disability and mental health have featured similar criteria, and there has often been considerable overlap in attempting to distinguish between the two concepts. English philosopher John Locke (1689) tried to differentiate between individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses by specifying: "in short herein seems to be the difference between Idiots and Madmen, that Madmen put wrong ideas together, and so make wrong propositions, but argue and reason right from them; but idiots make very few or no propositions and reason scarce at all." However, both this and many subsequent definitions fail to successfully address the distinction between these two concepts when both conditions exist concurrently. This is in spite of the fact that research has estimated that 30-40% of people with intellectual disabilities will also have a mental health issue at some point in their life (Einfeld et al., 2006). This book, edited by Dossetor, White, and Whatson, is an excellent resource that redresses the previous lack of a comprehensive guide regarding the mental health of young people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, or both.