Which of the following is NOT one of the six categories of ID causes?

• A. Economic inequality
• B. Problems after birth
• C. Genetic conditions
• D. Health problems

Answer: (A)

When thinking about why someone has an intellectual disability, the categories used focus on direct medical or biological causes. The six categories typically cover genetic or chromosomal conditions and various medical factors that directly affect development, such as problems before birth, problems during birth, and health problems after birth. Economic inequality, while it strongly influences a person’s development through access to care, nutrition, and stimulation, is not a direct medical cause category. It’s a social determinant rather than a biological or etiologic category, so it isn’t counted among the six. The other options—genetic conditions, problems after birth, and health problems—fit as direct etiologic categories that clinicians use to classify causes and guide evaluation and intervention.