ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a good chance that you, as a psychiatrist, will come in to contact with patients who have a borderline or mild intellectual disability (50 > iq < 85). Referral to specialised care is not always an option and may not always be necessary. However, diagnosing psychiatric disorders in these patients can present challenges. AIM: To increase our knowledge about the diagnosing of psychiatric disorders in people with borderline or mild intellectual disabilities. METHOD: In this article we describe some key considerations in making a diagnosis or a differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in people with an intellectual disability. RESULTS/ In the differential diagnosis of psychiatric symptoms and behavioral problems in persons with a RESULTS/CONCLUSION: borderline or mild intellectual disability, one needs to take into account the patient's cognitive and social emotional level and any possible underlying somatic conditions; in addition, one must search for the cause of the intellectual disability paying attention to the context and the facilities offered by the care system.
