Abstract
Autistic children with an IQ below 70 and with an IQ above 70 were systematically compared. The two groups differed somewhat in the pattern of symptoms, but were closely similar in terms of the main phenomena specifically associated with autism. However, the low IQ and high IQ autistic children differed more substantially in terms of other symptoms such as self-injury and stereotypies and there were major differences in outcome. The possibility that the nature of the autistic disorder may differ according to the presence or absence of associated mental retardation needs to be taken into account in planning studies of etiology.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartak, L., & Rutter, M. Special educational treatment of autistic children: A comparative study. I. Design of study and characteristics of units.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973,14, 161–179.
Bartak, L., Rutter, M., & Cox, A. A comparative study of infantile autism and specific developmental receptive language disorder. I. The children.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1975,126, 127–145.
Churchill, D. W. Effects of success and failure in psychotic children.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1971,25, 208–214.
Cox, A., Rutter, M., Newman, S., & Bartak, L. A comparative study of infantile autism and specific developmental receptive language disorder. II. Parental characteristics.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1975,126, 146–159.
DeMyer, M. K., Barton, S., Alpern, G. D., Kimberlin, C., Allen, J., Yang, E., & Steele, R. The measured intelligence of autistic children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1974,4, 42–60.
Frankenburg, W. K., & Dodds, J. B. The Denver developmental screening test.Journal of Pediatrics, 1967,71, 181–191.
Goldfarb, W.Childhood schizophrenia. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1961.
Goldfarb, W.Growth and change of schizophrenic children: A longitudinal study. New York: John Wiley, 1974.
Hermelin, B., & O'Connor, N.Psychological experiments with autistic children. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1970.
Kanner, L. Autistic disturbances of affective contact.Nervous Child, 1943,2, 217–250.
Koegel, R. L., & Covert, A. The relationship of self-stimulation to learning in autistic children.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1972,5, 381–387.
Lockyer, L., & Rutter, M. A five to fifteen-year follow-up study of infantile psychosis-III. Psychological aspects.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,115, 865–882.
Lockyer, L., & Rutter, M. A five to fifteen-year follow-up study of infantile psychosis-IV. Patterns of cognitive ability.British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 1970,9, 152–163.
Rutter, M. Behavioural and cognitive characteristics of a series of psychotic children. In J. K. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism: Clinical, educational and social aspects. London: Pergamon Press, 1966.
Rutter, M. Autistic children: Infancy to adulthood.Seminars in Psychiatry, 1970,2, 435–450.
Rutter, M. The effects of language delay on development. In M. Rutter, & J. A. M. Martin (Eds.),The child with delayed speech. Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 43. London: SIMP/Heinemann, 1972.
Rutter, M., & Bartak, L. Special educational treatment of autistic children: A comparative study. II. Follow-up findings and implications for services.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973,14, 241–270.
Stutsman, R.Guide for administering the Merrill-Palmer Scale of Mental Tests. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1948.
Wechsler, D.Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. New York: Psychological Corporation, 1949.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bartak, L., Rutter, M. Differences between mentally retarded and normally intelligent autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord 6, 109–120 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01538054
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01538054