BEHAVIOR PHENOTYPE FOR DOWNS-SYNDROME

Background For more than a century, the idea of particular personality /behavioural characteristics being associated with people with Down's syndrome has been explored, but with inconclusive results. Method The Disability Assessment Schedule was used to ascertain the behavioural p rofiles of 360 adults with Down's syndrome and 1829 adults with learni ng disabilities of other aetiologies, who were the whole identified po pulation within a defined geographical area. Comparison was made betwe en the two total groups and additionally for the subgroups aged < 35 y ears and aged greater than or equal to 35 years. Comparison was also m ade with regards to cluster analysis findings. Results Despite an equa l age and developmental quotient, the Down's syndrome group were less likely to demonstrate maladaptive behaviours. The behaviour characteri stics of the adults with Down's syndrome remained constant in the youn ger and older age groups. Cluster analysis demonstrated adults with Do wn's syndrome to have an increased prevalence in cluster groupings wit h lower rates of maladaptive behaviours. Conclusions This study confir ms there to be a behaviour phenotype among adults with Down's syndrome . The reasons for this (e.g. genetic/psychological/social) require fur ther research. Such research may establish a better understanding of t he aetiologies of maladaptive behaviours among people with learning di sabilities in general.