Error in the measurement of low IQ: Implications for the diagnosis of Intellectual Disability in court cases

A diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID) or what used to be called mental
retardation (MR), could always have a major effect on people’s lives. On the
positive side it could provide services, finance, and help in schools. On the
negative side it can be a stigmatizing label that an individual may seek to avoid
(Baroff 1999). However, since the Supreme Court, in the case of Atkins vs.
Virginia, prohibited the execution of individuals with MR, it can have life and
death implications (Flynn 2006; Flynn 2007; Schalock et al 2007).