Final answer:
An individual with an IQ score of 69 or below may be diagnosed with an intellectual disability if significant limitations in intellectual and adaptive functioning are present before the age of 18.
Step-by-step explanation:
An intellectual disability is a term used to describe an individual who legally has significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.
The criterion for an intellectual disability includes an IQ score of approximately 69 or below, deficits in adaptive functioning, and the presence of these issues during the developmental period.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders provides detailed criteria for diagnosing various subtypes of intellectual disabilities: mild, moderate, severe, and profound.
It's important to note that having an IQ score below 70, which is approximately two standard deviations below the mean on most modern intelligence tests, is one of the factors considered in the diagnosis of intellectual disability.
Along with this, significant limitations in adaptive skills such as communication, self-care, and social/interpersonal skills must be evident for a diagnosis of intellectual disability.
Persons with intellectual disabilities can be legally sane and aware of the difference between right and wrong, which makes them competent to stand trial; however, they may have diminished personal culpability due to their impairments.