Who we are – and what we do?
IASSIDD was born out of three international congresses held in Europe between 1960 and 1963. The first, held in London in 1960, was titled Observation of World Mental Health Year. This event was sponsored by the Royal Medico-Psychological Association, The Royal Society of Medicine, the British Psychological Society, in cooperation with the National Association of Mental Health and (the former) American Association on Mental Deficiency. A second congress was held in Vienna in 1961 and a third in Copenhagen in 1964. The International Association was duly formalized at the 1964 Congress, with a constitution published in the American Journal of Mental Deficiency (1965, 69 599) and the Journal of Mental Deficiency Research (1965, 9, 150).
As an international organization, IASSIDD promotes the scientific study of intellectual disabilities and related developmental disabilities and of conditions of persons with these disabilities and their families. IASSIDD defines Intellectual disability as a significant intellectual deficit present from birth, or which originates at an early age or during the developmental period.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF MENTAL DEFICIENCY (IASSIDD)
A. D. B. CLARKE Department of Psychology,
The University of Hull, Hull England
Journal of Intellectual Deficiency Research, 1991, 35, 1 12
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CONTRIBUTIONS OF IASSIDD TO THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY:
The Past, the Present and the Future
Trevor R. Parmenter, Ph.D.
University of Sydney
President, IASSID, 1996-2000
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Governance
Assembly
Members meet periodically as the Assembly of Members. At least one regular business meeting of the Assembly is held in connection with each World Congress of the Association. The Assembly may also meet upon call of the President or on petition of at least 1/3 of the subscribing members.
Council
The Council is the responsible organ of the Assembly to manage the affairs of the Association
during the interim between meetings of the Assembly. The Council has and exercises all the authority and duties of the Assembly except that authority specifically reserved to the Assembly.
Officers
The elected Officers of the Association are the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary and the Treasurer who are elected by the Assembly, following approval by Council. In addition, the President can appoint Vice-Presidents from the members of Council.
IASSIDD Activities
What Activities Does IASSIDD Sponsor?
The Association furthers its purpose by undertaking the following activities:
- Serving as a medium for deliberation, for exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills and experience and for compilation and dissemination of information.
- Organizing international and regional congresses, conferences and seminars.
- Encouraging research in the field of intellectual and developmental disability, including causes, prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, therapy, management, education and social habilitation of persons with an intellectual or developmental disability and their families.
- Producing and distributing publications on the scientific study of intellectual and developmental disabilities and of the care of such persons.
- Fostering, encouraging and promoting membership in the various professional disciplines in national organizations concerned with the scientific study of intellectual and developmental disability.
- Co-operating with the other organization directly or closely related with the scientific study of intellectual and developmental disabilities.