Mental health and intellectual disability: integrating different approaches in the neurodevelopmental perspective
| Published date | 07 September 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-06-2015-0030 |
| Pages | 217-221 |
| Date | 07 September 2015 |
| Author | Marco O. Bertelli |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Guest editorial
Mental health and intellectual disability:
integrating different approaches in the
neurodevelopmental perspective
Marco O. Bertelli
Dr Marco O. Bertelli is Scientific
Director at CREA (Research
and Clinical Centre), San
Sebastiano Foundation,
Florence, Italy and EAMHID,
European Association for
Mental Health in Intellectual
Disability, Florence, Italy.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical overview of some main implications of the
neurodevelopmental perspective for the field of the mental health in intellectual disability and autism spectrum
disorders.
Design/methodology/approach –A discussion surrounding the importance of integrating different
approaches in the neurodevelopmental perspective, drawing on sources from the paper proposals to the
10th International Congress of the European Association in Mental Health and Intellectual Disability
(EAMHID), and the literature.
Findings –At present, the neurodevelopmental perspective seems to be the most appropriate and valued
conceptual framework to support multi-level, interdisciplinary approaches in understanding the aetiologies
of mental health problems as well as when and how to intervene. It inherently exemplifies a dimensional
approach, which can capture variations between individuals, their developmental time course,
brain-behaviours associations and functional significance better than categorical approaches, and
diagnostic measures.
Originality/value –This editorial outlines a special issue that offers a comprehensive and varied collection of
papers from the contributions to the 10th International Congress of the EAMHID.
Keywords Neurodevelopment, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Neurodevelopmental perspectives,
Models, Advances, Appreciations, Dimensional approach
Paper type General review
A considerable amount of evidence has been produced over recent years that informs our
understanding of how individual cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and relational characteristics
emerge and change throughout the development of the brain and how they can become
manifest as mental health conditions or mental health problems. In the field of Intellectual
Disability (ID), this neurodevelopmental perspective is currently the most appropriate and valued
conceptual framework to explain relations across systems and to support the contemporary
need of researchers and practitioners for multi-level, interdisciplinary approaches in
comprehending the aetiologies of mental health problems as well as when and how to
intervene. Indeed, the neurodevelopmental perspective, drawing on tradition in developmental
psychology/psychobiology and enriched by developmental and cognitive neuroscience,
localises positive and pathological adaptation in the transactional relations between the
biological mechanisms of the brain and their psychological functions, and external environment.
It inherently exemplifies a dimensional approach, which can capture variations between
individuals, their developmental time course, brain-behaviours associations, and functional
significance better than categorical approaches and diagnostic measures.
Received 8 June 2015
Revised 8 June 2015
Accepted 29 June 2015
The author acknowledges
Dr Jo Sharrocks, Dr Eddie Chaplin,
the entire Editorial Board of
AMHID, and Katherine Farrar,
content editor of the Emerald
Group. They gave the author the
first real opportunity to edit a
Special Issue of one of the most
diffused scientific journals in the
author’s research field. A special
thank also goes to Dr Roger
Banks for the support in the text
and language refinement of the
present editorial.
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-06-2015-0030 VOL. 9 NO. 5 2015, pp. 217-221, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUALD ISABILITIES
j
PAGE217
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