The cardinality of the relationship between specific learning disabilities, intelligence, and borderline intellectual disability
Marco O. Bertelli
The relationship between Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and intelligence is complex. Both constructs lack a unique definition and the international scientific community identifies important limitations in the way they are assessed. The aim of this work was to map international literature and outline the nature of some of the factors that determine the extreme complexity of this relationship.Reference questions focused on the relationship between SLD, intelligence, and Intellectual Disability (ID) with particular attention to borderline type. The search for articles was conducted using the main search engines. Authors made a complete analysis only of those articles that had passed previous screening based on title and abstract.Literature indicates that in many cases of SLD a deep assessment of intelligence is needed, especially regarding the exclusion of mild or borderline ID. Our critical review also highlighted an increasing difficulty in using the global measure of IQ as a criterion for defining normal intelligence and diagnosing ID.
Keywords
Specific learning disabilities, intellectual disability, borderline intelligence, intelligence quotient, cognitive and executive functions, neuropsychological profile.
