Compensation age theory: Effect of chronological age on individuals with intellectual disability

The main goal of this article is to discuss a new concept, the “Compensation Age Theory (CAT)”, for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). The CAT is a holistic framework comprised of four dimensions: (a) the state of the art of the CAT; (b) the theoretical resources which are at the core of the CAT; (c) a series of empirical studies performed by the author and other scholars which support the assumptions of the CAT; (d) cognitive educational intervention programs for individuals at all levels of ID throughout the lifespan, which are anchored in this theory. The CAT framework supports the view that all human beings, even people with ID, are capable of change. Despite the limitations imposed by age or severity of disability, the concept “self-actualization” can be expanded to include people with ID who, under appropriate environmental conditions and with continuous systematic intervention, can be brought to a level of functioning previously absent from their behavioral repertoire.