Duane Jones

Mr. Aquino

ENGL 1A

June 9, 2023

Smarter than you think

Intellectual disability is a disability that affects the function of humans' daily lives and how

much limitation it bring completing these activities. Intellectual disability is caused by an

abnormality of the brain; this includes disease and/or injuries, between the age of birth and 18

years old. In order to be diagnosed with an intellectual disability, you must show signs of both

difficulties in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Survey was taken in 2010 which

stated that at least 3% of the United States had an intellectual disability. Another name for

intellectual functioning can also be called intelligence. Forrest Gump in the movie is picked on

growing up because he is not like his peers. He is not viewed as normal. Forrest Gump is

diagnosed with a learning disability, he was not able to grasp things as quickly or similar to his

peers. As Forrest tells the story of the events that took place in life, which helped him become

the person he is throughout the movie. He also reveal what disability he has. Throughout the

movie, Forrest Gump shows that he should be diagnosed with intellectual disability, as he

display signs of difficulty in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, below average IQ

score, and difficulties fitting in with his peers. Intellectual disability has negatively impacted

Forrest life because he is always being treated differently because people would think he does

not have the learning capability due to this disability. The best treatment for Forrest Gump would

be to be placed in activities that requires team work and socializing.

 One major characteristic of intellectual disability is testing a persons IQ score. When

doing an IQ test, a person must score less than 70 to 75, to consider having a learning limitation.

As a result Forrest Gump has a below average IQ score. According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, the narrator in the video stated that certain percentage of people suffer

from an intellectual disability. Standardized test must be preformed to receive a individual IQ

score. They might give you a series of task to complete. They will test the results base of speed,

comprehension, and accuracy. Forrest Gump in the movie had a IQ score of 75. As stated by the

principal in the movie, he informed Mrs. Gump that her son Forrest can not be accepted in a

normal public school due to his IQ being low. It is indicated that a person with a low or below

average IQ should be placed in a special school. He illustrates this to her by showing her a graph,

which includes a scale that shows where Forrest falls on the spectrum, which does not make him

qualify to attend a public school. Due to this Forrest mom had to make sacrifices for him so that

he can attend a public school. Even though she explains that he is no different from others,

Mrs.Gump knows within herself that her son is different from his peers. This is why his

accomplishments are so big for her, like him completing college.

Intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior also plays a role in intellectual disability.

This is the ability to problem solve, reason, along with time management, and completing daily

personal activities. In the article found by a family support program, provides evidence that in

order to test for intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, you must see a specialist. The

specialist would look for how a child progresses over time. The doctor would look for growth

and development. For example in the movie, Forrest visited the doctor where he has difficulty

walking, this is due to his spine being crooked. In the movie Forrest receives the doctor diagnosis

and also given a corrective device for his leg that will improve the spinal issue that he was born
with that causes many issues for him. Due to this spinal deformity, Forrest more than likely has

an issue with his brain. Brain damage or abnormality can cause they way he thinks, learn and

behave. This more explains the way he talks and interact with people. The reason why the think

he is not normal.

Intellectual disability comes in many forms. In the movie Forrest Gump shows signs of

Autism. Autism affects the way a person interact with their peers and might also so have

abnormal features. Even though the only abnormal feature Forrest shows signs of is his spine. It

affected the ability to walk. Based on information gathered from the special Olympics article,

Autism can be caused by genetic conditions, problems during birth, exposures to illness, and

complication during pregnancy. Evidence during the movie shows Forrest Gump with a leg brace

on. Which was explained that he has issues with his spine which requires a corrective device. He

was born with this problem that affects his spinal cord and brain. This causes Forrest to stand out

and makes it hard for him to have friends because they don’t look at him the same. Due to this,

the only friend he had was Jenny because she did not look at him different. She understood that

he had a learning disability so she tried to be as straight forward with him as possible. Although

she knew he did not understand certain situation, she still allowed Forrest Gump to be himself.

The autistic intellectual disability that Forrest Gump has negatively effect his day to day

life. He get bullied because he does not look or learn the same as the other people around him.

During the short video, Loretta Claiborne speaks about her experience of being diagnosed and

living with an intellectual disability. She explains that everyone always looked at her different

because she has a learning disability. She was always isolated during her times of attending

school. An example in the movie a scene was shown where Forrest got on the school bus where

as he walks down the aisle he was told that the seats were taken because they do not want him to
sit next to him. The children in the bus isolated themselves from Forrest because of his physical

appearance, which includes him wearing a leg brace. They do not consider him the same as

them, in their case “normal”. This is because he do not look how they look and small children do

not understand the reasoning why a person would look different.

Intellectual disabilities effects Forrest because he was not able to grasp the concept of

some things being placed in front of him. The most famous scene in the movie illustrates a group

of boys that started to make fun of Forrest corrective brace on his leg while also throwing rocks

at him. They then bullied him by chase him. He is in fear and does not understand the reason for

them making fun of him, so he started to run. Forrest only friend Jenny told him that anytime he

has a problem, he should run. That scene painted a big picture in the movie because anytime

Forrest had a issue, he ran. He ran so much that he no longer knew the purpose of running.

Engaging in group activities teaches you to interact with peers and learn from them.

Loretta Claiborne speaks about group activities like sports, and how they are the biggest support

for intellectual disabilities, for example the Special Olympics. This gives individual the ability to

show their talents without being judged by others because they all share something of common

interest. Forrest Gump was a part of the football team. He had to learn how to work with his

teammates, run play, and accept responsibilities with the position playing on a sports team. A

great example of how others should be supportive of someone with these disabilities because

they are still considered humans at the end of the day.

Activities that include working with others is a great treatment for intellectual disabilities.

Loretta Claiborne provided supporting evidence that she suffers from disability, but she was

placed in different programs to help her improve her learning disability. She participated in

competitive sports, this where she was able to work with other children that have disabilities and
learn from others that does not. According to the movie, Forrest joined the military. In order for

him to be successfully, he had have basic understanding. He must understand the reason and the

purpose he serve to military. Which also teaches him time management and many other issues

that he suffers with. Forrest expressed that he feel like he fits in the military because it has

repetitive orders and task and he feels as if he can complete them because that is one way a

person learns that suffers from an intellectual disability. As Forrest goes through the military, it

became easier for him to meet friends and advance. Intellectual disability is not hard to live with

once you learn how to be comfortable with the person you are. You also need the right support

around you.