feeblemindedness

Feeblemindedness is a historical term that was used in psychiatry, criminology, and public policy to describe a person judged to have subaverage intellectual functioning and significant limitations in adaptive behavior. It was not a precise clinical diagnosis, and its application varied across time and jurisdictions. In the early 20th century, the term became linked with debates about heredity, criminality, and public welfare, and it was used to justify segregation, institutionalization, and in some places compulsory sterilization.

Over time, the term was criticized for its vagueness and for stigmatizing people with intellectual disabilities. Modern medicine and psychology have rejected it as a label, and it is now considered offensive in professional usage. Contemporary terminology favors "intellectual disability" or "developmental disability," with diagnosis based on standardized assessments of intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, rather than an absolute label of feeblemindedness.

Current understanding recognizes a range of abilities and emphasizes supports to enable participation in education, work, and community life. The shift reflects a rights-based approach to disability, including informed consent, protection from discrimination, and individualized supports. In many countries, legal and medical frameworks no longer use feeblemindedness as a diagnostic term.