Diagnostic Teaching: A Case of Mental Deficiency and Doubtful Social Competency

Two years ago John was brought to the Psychological Clinic for examination because of suspected feeblemindedness. He was at that time seven years old and in the first grade of school where he had been doing very poor work for nearly two years. His absences were few, and his conduct was reported by his mother and teacher to be good. He played with other children of his own age, and "got along" very well with them. There was nothing significant about the birth or family history. His health was fair. He was nervous and could not sit still, and trembled easily. He had never suffered from convulsions or any serious accidents. He had had his tonsils and adenoids removed, but had undergone no other operations. Before he was five years old he had had measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever and whooping cough. The child appeared fairly well grown and normally developed. He had no marked somatic stigmata. The psychological examination proved inconclusive. His performance tests were poor, yet not poor enough to warrant a diagnosis of feeblemindedness. His minimum time from three trials on the