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Chapter 114Mild intellectual disabilityPeople with MID are characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive skills, with onset during childhood. 1Intellectual functioning refers to general cognitive capacities and includes reasoning, abstract thinking, problem solving, and scholar skills. Adaptive skills consist of conceptual skills such as use of money and the concept of time, social skills like social problem solving and communication, and practical skills like self-care and use of public transport. Despite no intelligence quotient (IQ) range being included in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders definition of MID, 1the 50–70 IQ range is often adhered to internationally. However, in some countries, including the Netherlands, a broader definition of MID is used. This broader definition includes an IQ range from 50 to 85 with such limitations in adaptive skills that support is needed to function adequately in daily life. 2 It is estimated that 6.4% of the Dutch population have MID according to this broader definition, amounting to 1.17 million people. 3 For this thesis, we used this broad MID definition. Because of their cognitive and adaptive limitations, people with MID are vulnerable to experiencing challenges in multiple domains of life. Just like people without ID, people with MID have the desire to function as fully and as independently as possible. This may be a challenge in today’s increasingly complex society. Complicated application procedures for care and benefits, less availability of simple jobs, higher demands in education, and lack of support networks are examples of factors that create a more complex society for people with MID. 2 These factors are reflected in people with MID having a much lower employment rate, an income level that is more often below the poverty level, higher prevalence of (MH) health problems, and a smaller network of family and friends, and being incarcerated more often, compared with the general population. 4Besides this accumulation of challenges in various life domains, their vulnerability may be further enhanced for several reasons. First, the MID and the accompanying limitations may not be directly visible to outsiders, Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 14 24-06-2024 16:26