The Central Role of Etiology in Science and Practice in Intellectual Disability

Over the past 30 years, the link between etiology and outcome has played an increasingly more central role in the fields of intellectual disability (ID) science and practice. This paper reviews the expansion of behavioral and developmental science in the field of etiology-related ID research over the past few decades, with an emphasis on the range of etiology-related research approaches that have become prominent. Methodological issues and challenges are considered, as well as new directions for etiology-specific educational approaches, treatments, and interventions.