Borderline intellectual functioning, previously called borderline mental retardation (in the ICD-8),[1] is a categorization of intelligence wherein a person has below average cognitive ability (generally an IQ of 70–85),[2] but the deficit is not as severe as intellectual disability (below 70).
This is technically a cognitive impairment; however, this group may not be sufficiently mentally disabled to be eligible for specialized services.
[5] During school years, individuals with borderline intellectual functioning are often "slow learners".
[3] Although a large percentage of this group fails to complete high school and can often achieve only a low socioeconomic status, most adults in this group blend in with the rest of the population.
[3] According to the DSM-5, differentiating borderline intellectual functioning and mild intellectual disability requires careful assessment of adaptive and intellectual functions and their variations, especially in the presence of co-morbid psychiatric disorders that may affect patient compliance with standardized test (for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with severe impulsivity or schizophrenia).